Return of Sephiroth: Rebellion
by KuPoO
Summary: Several months after meteor crashed, Sephiroth found himself alive... among many others that should have been dead. A rift in Lifestream, a war of epic proportions, and old relationships come into play in the legend known as Final Fantasy.
1. Awakening

I decided to rewrite this. I feel that it could be vastly improved, so... yep. This one has alot of editing done, and a new scene, pretty much doubling the size of the chapter. I'm sure some of you will be angry that you won't see anything new for a very long time... yep, all five of you. Heh.

* * *

"I... I am alive? The planet let me live... after what I did... no. It should've killed me. Why am I still here..." Sephiroth looked at his bloodstained hands with grief. He was nothing. He couldn't feel, care, or love anything. And in the end, he couldn't destroy anything either. Sephiroth was a failure. He could do nothing.  
  
"Where am I..." He looked around himself cautiously. He was standing upon a mammoth altar. It hovered over a lake of pure water. There was only one place on the Planet that held such Holy water... "The Temple of the Ancients."

"I killed her. This is exactly where I killed her. I brought the sword down. Where is the voice telling me that it's ok? Where is the voice that tells me that I had to for my own good!? Why isn't it ok to kill people anymore?" Sephiroth clenched his fist in anger. His eyes were still blurred. Everything was out of focus.  
  
It was so strange. Usually the voices inside his head told him that it was alright. It was what he had to do. Killing people was a natural part of life. But now.... he was feeling regret. Remorse for what he had done. A feeling he had not felt since... the time he discovered his origins. That he, the legendary Sephiroth, was just an experiment.  
  
Sitting there all alone... he slowly reflected upon all his deeds in the past five years. The legend known as Sephiroth, General of the Shinra army, had snapped. He lost his marbles as they say. He killed for pleasure, and what a pleasure it was. The art of death was no stranger to him. Because Sephiroth had the ability to kill people, there was no reason not to. He was the son of Jenova. That is why he was different from the others. His whole life he knew that he was different from most people. He had no friends. Yet Jenova, the Calamity from the Skies, took him in. She did not reject him, for she was his mother. That monstrosity was his mother.

"Monstrosity... why would I ever call my mother a monstrosity? I... it used to hurt when I thought of her negatively." Slowly, a discovery was creeping up on him. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Something was different. Logically, being reborn should feel rather strange. But this wasn't just strange; it was insane. It's like he was the person he was before the incident that changed his life. He was once again without meaning or conscience.  
  
For hours on end, Sephiroth reviewed his life. Before the incident in Nibelheim, he had always felt so empty and lonely. On that day, he had figured out what he was. A long story, really. A mako reactor in Nibelheim was malfunctioning.

Sephiroth travelled with two soldiers, a female guide, and an officer up the hazardous Mount Nibel. They were crossing the bridge... flash... bad memories.

* * *

The bridge started to shake uncontrollably as they crossed. One of the soldiers was lost. The girl begged to search for him, but there was no time.

"It may sound cold, but we've got no time to search for him. We can't go back now, so we must go on. We'll travel together from here."

"But..."

"Don't speak anymore. Let's move on."

And so they continued up the mountain to the reactor. Another bad memory... why was he so cruel? He spoke as if he knew everything. As if everything was just so simple, and that those around him were morons. They reached a tiny altar. Tiny stones were embedded deep in the rock. Green light slowly flowed upwards from these stones. It was obvious what the rocks were... wasn't it?

"...And what's this?" Zack asked innocently.

"A Mako Fountain. It's a miracle of nature." Sephiroth looked at it closely for a moment. Its beauty strangely reminded him of the flower garden in Midgar. No... the beauty was useless. This miracle was to be converted to something useful.

The annoying guide spoke again. At this time, Sephiroth would really rather had an older, male guide. Unfortunately, she was the only one willing to travel up the dangerous slopes. "It's so beautiful... If the Mako Reactor continues to suck up the energy, this fountain will dry up too..." Her name was Tifa, if he recalled correctly.

Sephiroth nodded. "Materia. When you condense Mako energy, materia is produced. It's very rare to be able to see materia in its natural state."

And then Zack asked the most moronic question imaginable. "By the way... Why is it that when you use materia you can also use magic too?"

Sephiroth looked at him in disbelief. "You were in SOLDIER and didn't even know that? ...the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the Planet. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the planet calling up magic...... or so they say."

"Magic......" Zack observed the fountain and his own materia. "A mysterious power..."

Sephiroth laughed coldly. "A man once told me never to use an unscientific term such as mysterious power! It shouldn't even be called 'magic'! I still remember how angry he was."

"Who was that?" That kid asked too many questions for an officer.

"Stop asking so many questions. We're almost there." Sephiroth trudged on silently, his irritation easily noticed. Thinking back, he wasn't sure why he didn't answer the question. Perhaps it was because he hated Hojo so much that he didn't want to recall such memories... or maybe the kid really was asking too many questions.

Flash. The reactor. When everything changed. This was the climax that began his insanity. He had told the soldier to take care of the girl. With the first class soldier, Zack, he entered the reactor and began analyzing the situation.

Zack walked up the stairs to the locked door labeled JENOVA. "Jenova is in here, isn't she? Locked... damn. I always wanted to know what Jenova was."

"Shut up." Sephiroth was getting seriously irritated. "Come down here and close the valve. It seems we've found the reason for the malfunction. This part is broken."

Zack jumped down the crimson steps and closed the valve. It took alot of his strength to do so. "Why do you suppose it broke?"

Sephiroth began talking to himself, completely ignoring Zack. Zack just stood there, clad in his purple armor, not realizing that it was the only thing between him and death. His black, spiky hair was the complete opposite of Sephiroth's elegant, long white strands. In almost every way, they were opposites.

"Why did it break...? ...now I see, Hojo. But, even doing this, will never put you on the same level as Professor Gast. This is a system that condenses and freezes the Mako energy... that is, when it's working correctly. Now... what does Mako energy became when it's further condensed?" Sephiroth looked coldly at Zack, waiting for a response.

"Uh, ummm...... Oh yeah! It becomes a Materia." He clumsily replied.

"Right, normally. But Hojo put something else in there. ...Take a look. Look through the window."

Zack walked over to the pod. It was larger than him or Sephiroth, so he had to jump up to look through the window. As his feet landed back on the ground, Zack gasped.

"My God... What is this!?" Zack was shocked.

"Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako. You're different from the others, but still human. But, what are they? They've been exposed to a high degree of Mako, far more than you." Sephiroth contemplated this for a moment.

"What the hell... is this some kind of monster? What the fuck is Shinra doing?" It was just shocking. The evils that were being created by this corrupt company were indescribable.

"Exactly. And it's Hojo of Shinra that produced these monsters. Mutated living organisms produced by Mako energy. That's what these monster's really are."

Zack was curious to Sephiroth's wording. "Normal members of SOLDIER? You mean you're different? H... hey, Sephiroth!" Sephiroth's frown became so dark that you could only see half his soulless eyes.

Sephiroth's hands began to shake in fury. "I'm just like them, aren't I?" His anger exploded his mind. "I'm just like them!?" He unsheathed his Masamune. "I'm just... an experiment!" He slashed the pods left and right. Over and over, he just kept slashing them. In every place that his blade hit, there was a deep tear in the strong metal fabric.

"Was I created in the same way as all of them? Am I no different!?" He continued slashing the pods with no remorse.

"Sephiroth, calm down! You're nothing like them!" Zack took a few steps back in fear. If Sephiroth went insane, there was nothing he could do about it but try to calm him down. There was no way he could forcefully do so.

"They are all humans, just like me! Don't you understand... I'm just an experiment!" He erupted in rage as the pod began to make a static noise.

"They aren't humans! Are you insane!?"

"I've always felt that I was different from the others ever since I was small. That I was special. But... not like this." He kept slashing it, and the noise grew louder.

Finally, the pod door exploded open, and a human shaped organism laid dormant inside. It was completely revolting. Sephiroth had gone insane.

* * *

That was the day that caused him to go insane. Yet now, he was no longer insane. Everything felt normal. Just like before. Before he had discovered who he really was. Why was he so normal now? What had changed? He still knew who he was... a damned experiment. Yet at the same time, he felt placid about it.

All the feelings of power and dread... disappeared. Why were they gone!? Had Lifestream cleansed his soul? Not likely. There was something that simply wasn't inside his head any longer. Something missing. It clicked.  
  
"Jenova. She was controlling me. The way I thought, it was if she was my conscience. I didn't even realize it. How can you stop someone from controlling you when you don't even know that you're being controlled? When I killed people, I did it because I wanted to. Not because someone told me to. What the hell? How could I be so weak in mind? I... didn't even know!" Sephiroth stood with the Masamune sitting on the ground nearby. So confused, so alone... so lonely again. Once again, he did not know either parent... or anyone.  
  
"She exploited me." Sephiroth shook his hands in fury. Once again, he was lost. He hit a realization that Jenova was controlling him. The voices inside of his head were not his own, as he so thought. He thought he was telling himself the entire time to obey her. Yet now he realized... she had no resemblance. The information must have been a lie. He had to go back... to find the truth. Back to Nibelheim.  
  
"I must find out who I am. I will be hated once again, and most will not even believe I am alive... But I don't care. I am here now. I have a right to know who I am. I've been lied and deceived into destroying the Planet. I doubt anyone will ever believe me, but... I don't care. I must know who I am." Sephiroth's mako green eyes glowed with fury. His eyes were a deeper shade of green than the others. His eyes were infused with mako and Jenova. Jenova... was everything to him at one time. At the time, he thought she saved him from his insanity. But in reality, she was manipulating it.

"I'll never be controlled again. I will find out the truth, but not let my guard down so some lowlife can take control. I will find out who I am no matter what the consequence. I do not know if the Planet is ready for me, but I am ready for them." Sephiroth took hold of his Masamune, cutting the very air with the sharp blade.  
  
Sephiroth jumped down the platforms, back to the City of the Ancients. His heavy boots sounded everytime he hit the ground, his black cape swirling with the air. His wild silver hair was as long as ever. And his cold, stony glare... his mako green eyes... The most feared person in the planet had returned, and no one knew what to expect. If anything, he was definitely angry. But not for the reasons that someone like Cloud Strife would expect.  
  
Sephiroth wasn't so evil, was he? He only realized that himself now... he was just a poor soul taken control of. He didn't know if he was human or how he was born... all he knew was that he was just an experiment to Shinra. No one ever cared for him. Everything that anyone had ever told him about his life was a lie.  
  
Nibelheim, he thought, walking up the long, winding staircase, back into the room... a room of despair. It held the staircase that led to Aeris' death. Sephiroth destroyed Nibelheim because of Jenova's influence. She controlled him. The entire time, he thought he was doing it on his own will. He'd never felt as stupid as he did now. He was being controlled for five years. And he never suspected a thing! He thought he alone was the strongest man in the world, and it was all a lie. He was, perhaps, the weakest.  
  
And no one would ever believe him, he thought, as he slowly walked down the long, stone path which led to the forest. No one would ever believe that Sephiroth was not responsible. He was the one who defeated Wutai, destroyed Nibelheim, called down Meteor, nearly destroyed the planet, and... killed Aeris. Deep down, Sephiroth admitted that he felt the worst for this. She was the only soul that was ever kind to him.  
  
No one ever knew except about that. That Aeris had met him. That she liked him. It would probably be a lie to say no one ever cared for him. She was the exception. And he killed her. He was such a coward. Jenova made him believe that he had to. In order to please Jenova, and stop Aeris from foiling her plan.  
  
Sephiroth reached the four-way intersection. He walked straight out, towards the forest. All he could think about was his sins. When he arrived, everyone would probably scream in fear. Or try to kill him. Call him names. Murderer. Killer. He could only imagine what would happen in the public...  
  
You killed my mother! You killed my brother! You took everything from me!  
  
Give me my life back! I hate you! You're a monster! Why won't you die!?  
  
Those were the thoughts he knew would come. They had been in his nightmares before. Only before... Jenova warded it off. She made him think of the power that was to come. Why had she wanted him to do this... why did Jenova want the planet destroyed? Vengeance for killing the Cetra? He would know soon enough. His memory was so bad. He couldn't remember... All he knew was that he had to return to Nibelheim. To read.  
  
Sephiroth feared the worst, as he should. The forest... heh. Remember when Aeris ran through it? She met him there. She tried to talk him out of it. He told her he'd have to kill her... he couldn't allow her to summon holy. She knew she'd die. And Sephiroth was too weak to realize he was being controlled. Aeris...  
  
Snowy day. He remembered it too well as he walked through the forest. Normal people got lost in this forest without a Harp. It gave people direction. The forest was almost alive... and took many lives. The forest feared him too much to try, though. It feared his destructive magic... With a single swing, he could demolish a tree. And with a single level five Bolt spell, he could burn down the entire forest. It would not mess with him.  
  
Yet Sephiroth did not want to do that anymore. Sephiroth only wanted the truth. He was still so lonely. The names he'd be called soon... so much pain to be endured. He feared the future more than anything now, and tried to remember the past. That snowy day in Midgar... the day the war ended. He had been so happy. He didn't like killing as much as everyone thought. It was just... all he knew how to do. After every mission, all he ever wanted to do... was be left alone. Yet now the loneliness was a curse.  
  
That snowy day in Midgar, he met Aeris. She was such a pretty little girl. She must have been sixteen or seventeen... when he must have been somewhere around twenty-three or twenty-four. Couldn't remember. That snowy day in Midgar, was about... eight months before the Nibelheim incident. Everyone was so happy with the war ending. Sephiroth was the only one who could not be joined in this glee. He was to go straight to his headquarters... which he didn't mind. He prefered the reflection to the constant weaklings... admiring him. Admiring him for being a murderer.  
  
He kept walking through the forest, almost there. Bone Village. The first people to see him alive... He had to find out how long it had been since Meteor. It couldn't have been long. He knew the only reason he was alive even now was because of Holy... it had somehow saved his body... instead of destroying it. He needed to research that as well. Why didn't Holy kill him. Holy... Aeris was trying to summon Holy. What happened after he supposedly died... so many unanswered questions.  
  
The biggest question being... who was he? If Jenova was not his Mother...  
  
Bone Village was right ahead of him. Yet Sephiroth was not ready to enter the town yet... nor the insults and pain he would have to bear... It had been a long day. Sephiroth had first found himself in the City of the Ancients. For hours he had reflected his life there... then he added the walking distance between there... for more hours. Reflecting his life. It was dark now. Time to rest.  
  
Sephiroth laid his black cloak onto the ground, and sat down upon it. Tired, but not quite asleep yet, he continued to wonder about his life.  
  
Even as a little boy, he suffered immense pain. There were no other kids around. He was kept in a solitary room everyday. A nice room, but lonely... A boy like Sephiroth was too important to waste time with other kids! Lies. He was just an experiment. They didn't want him tainted with feelings. Feelings he started to develop that day... with her.  
  
His Father supposedly left the day he was born. Instead, the sick and twisted bastard Hojo took care of him. He tried to make his daily examinations for Sephiroth's strength seem natural for any growing boy. As if he were supposed to believe that... They kept as much as they could from him so they could utilize him in battle more effectively. Being with that sick man, Hojo, disgusted him. Professor Ghast... if only he hadn't left. Professor Ghast was, at the least, a respectable man. When Hojo was gone, Professor Ghast filled in for him.  
  
Professor Ghast... was such a superior scientist. When he was in charge, he actually made Sephiroth feel happy. Not that the man cared about him enough to stick around. If he had, then he might've added that to the list of people who cared about Sephiroth. But there was only Aeris... and he killed her. So she didn't count either.  
  
Alot of times, Professor Ghast said he was too busy for the check-ups, while winking at him. Ghast made him feel free to do whatever he wanted. Sephiroth was grateful for that. Ghast had somewhat his father figure. He greatly respected the man for what he did for him. Ghast was the one who introduced Sephiroth into the world of books. Even if it was only strategy and battle tactics... it helped him forget how bored he was. Ghast was another reason Sephiroth was the greatest General who ever lived... because Ghast introduced him to books. He really did like reading... it took him away from the mundane world of pain.  
  
Yet then, Hojo would come back. No time for books. Only experiments. To see how powerful he was. To see what his cells did. To see what his mothers cells... Jenova... gave to him. He thought at the time that Jenova was a normal woman... who had left him with these bastards. But it was a lie. A stage set to prevent him from ever seeing the truth. One day, Ghast just disappeared. The man he respected most in Shinra disappeared. The only person he respected. Sephiroth thought Ghast cared. Yet he left him just as his parents did.  
  
Shinra failed their stage setup however. The Nibelheim incident... murderer... killer... Shinra failed because Sephiroth read books... in an uncontrolled atmosphere. He realized that he was simply a monster. A mere component in the Jenova Project. He read the truth. Yet somehow, he knew now that Jenova was entering his frail mind. He did not read the truth. Sephiroth knew, deep inside of him, that what he read there... was an illusion. He was going to Nibelheim to find out what that book really said. Or at least to piece together how he misinterpreted the information. Because, obviously, Jenova was not his mother.  
  
The books... the girl asked him if he liked to read... yes... very much... no, not any of those. Yes, he read for pleasure... but he never heard of any of those. Only books with tactics mattered.  
  
Going to sleep, he began to dream about that day. Exactly how it was that day. Not a nightmare, like he had had so many times before. An actual dream...  
  
A snowy day in Midgar.


	2. Snow

Sephiroth walked through the rubble of the slums, finally at ease with his mind and body. He had won the war for Shinra two years ago. After that, he had constantly been going on missions around the world, cleaning up the rest of the resistance. Clearing areas with high monster activities. Finally, he had returned to Midgar. No... he remembered... Shinra won the war. He just did all the work. That sounded about right. Of course he would be given full credit around the world for slaughtering people. No one would remember the lives he saved. The people were saved because Shinra won the war... they were saved by Shinra.  
  
The slums. The start of Midgar. This was where all the nightmares of Shinra began and ended. Shinra took lower Midgar and turned it into the slums. They took the liberty to build a giant plate on top of the cities, making it a city of eternal darkness. Deep under the plate, the poor residents stayed... Except in certain places, there was no precipitation below the plate. The plate... where everyone would loved to have lived. There was an old saying. No one lives in the slums because they want to. And that was the truth.  
  
"The slums... I hate it. Shinra, I... hate them. Look what they do to their own citizens... It's worse than Wutai in this dark sanctum. They let them die slowly... painfully... with impossible hopes and dreams. The oppressed people of Midgar." Sephiroth glared into the rubble. He was known to be a cold man with no heart. A ruthless killer. But that just wasn't true. He was only doing what he was born to do. Well, perhaps part of it was true... kind of taken out of context though. Sephiroth was a cold man, yet he had a heart. He was a ruthless killer, but only in the time of war. Other than that, he just liked to be alone.  
  
"Sir, are you feeling alright? Come with me, back to the plate. You can't possibly be siding with these freaks. Shinra's Greatest General, siding with the people who are too lazy to help themselves. That looks good!" The high-ranking officer had been with Sephiroth since he was young. Knowing him for so many years, he learned to hate the officer. He was mind controlled by Shinra's lies. No one lived in the slums because they wanted to, nor because they were too lazy. They had no choice when the plate was built right above their homes. No money, no business. Shinra ruined all their lives. None of them mattered, though. Only the upper class was important.  
  
"Silence, Shiro. Your biased and uneducated opinion is not needed. Furthermore, don't ever tell me what to do.... and that is an order. Leave me." Sephiroth continued walking through the deplorable town. Sector Six. It was... a nice place... and yet it was also a place of darkness. The slums... where Shinra's evil truly existed.  
  
"It was only a suggestion. Do what you will, but I'm not going to be on your side if you are arrested for treasonous acts." Shiro nodded at him, and started to walk away.  
  
Sephiroth turned around, his deep green eyes glaring at Shiro. The mako was reacting to his anger. A strange trait; even for a soldier. "Traitor? Ha ha ha! Treason!? Shinra has eternally sinned against my soul, and a move against them would be treason? After I won the war single-handedly for them? Shinra won the war, indeed. You believe every word they spoon feed you. Ha, ha, ha." His hollow laugh echoed into the broken street. "I just did all the killing, right? Heh... Make a snide remark and walk away... If you think I'll let you walk away again, then you are mistaken, my friend. My blade hungers for the blood of corruption, rather than innocense. You'd best walk away silently" The words angered him... treason. To go against corruption was treason? To make a decision to no longer be controlled was treason? No... It would have been liberty if Sephiroth had so desired. Then again, he really had no where to go. No desire to rebel against them. Why?  
  
Shiro did as Sephiroth said... silently. This had been the first time Sephiroth looked so angry at him. The words 'I will kill you' coming from Sephiroth could only mean one thing. Sudden death. There was no coming back once Sephiroth decided to kill you. There no doubt that he was the most dangerous man on the Planet. Fear filled Shiro's heart. Angry too, yet fear clouded it all.

"Desolate town..." His eyes were such a defining feature. His glare gone, Sephiroth looked upon the slums with sorrow filled eyes. They emitted a soft green light now. His eyes were unique from other soldiers, however, in that they became darker with anger. Sephiroth wondered about this often... perhaps he had been injected with more mako than the others?  
  
"Is there no place here that is not touched by their plague of destruction?" Sephiroth looked around, hoping to find something... something not in ruins! For a while, as he looked, he could simply find nothing. However, his eyes slowly caught a glance of colorful decoration. A door that was magnificiently decorated. It had been hard to see behind all the ruins and buildings. He wanted to go there and see what it was... but there was the something that he was missing. Color. Black and white showed that little detail quite clearly. His entire attire... black and white. Could a soldier fit inside such a lively place?  
  
Sephiroth took a few steps toward the door, yet suddenly stopped. He heard laughter. A gleeful laughter. This... this truly was what he was looking for. But why now? His mind wandered... why did he care? The slums were for those who could not help themselves. Why go here. Why not go back to the plate... "Because I hate the plate," he said aloud with anger.  
  
The laughing stopped. Suddenly, Sephiroth felt guilty. Everywhere he went, everyone except the soldiers were silent. The soldiers felt protected by him. Everyone else feared for their lives. Once again, he had stopped happiness because of his greed.. his want for his own joy. Selfish.  
  
Sephiroth opened the door anyways. He felt drawn to it. The place was so peaceful... It was the sanctuary of light, protecting him from the darkness outside. The place, it was just so different. Different than the slums, different than the plate, different than Wutai. It was just so... peaceful. The best word he could think of. Even placid, perhaps.  
  
As Sephiroth entered the room, he had to step back in shock... there was light here. In the slums, below the plate, there was light. It was dim from the winter season, but it was still.... light. Below the plate. And in the center lay a white coat of snow. Snow... in Midgar. The slums had no precipitation. It was below the plate... so why did this place have it?  
  
"All this beautiful snow! Why do you look so afraid? Hehe. A soldier is afraid of snow." The girl was cute and obviously spoke her mind. She capered merrily around the snow. Truly a happy soul... A happy soul in the slums. Shinra never spoke of them like this. Clearly, Shinra had the people above the plate fooled well... they brainwashed everyone they could. Especially him... somehow, he had won a war for the lying bastards... It was all he knew how to do.  
  
"I... I'm sorry. I've never actually seen snow before. And the slums... was the last place I expected to see it." Sephiroth felt as if he had brought his dark aura to this holy place. She shouldn't bother talking to him. She couldn't have known who he was... a murderer. Just about everyone was too afraid to get near him. Yet she talked to him.  
  
"Well, now you've seen it!" She smirked, her hands folded over her blue dress. Energetic too.  
  
"Yes... I suppose I have. It's pretty...." Sephiroth screamed at himself in his mind. Pretty!? He had been taught to see things for only its use. Nothing else. This place.. was useless. It had no purpose. Snow had no purpose. Who cared what it looked like?  
  
"Yes, it is. It's also fun to play with!" The girl giggled merrilly, looking so problem free. She ran over to the snow and picked some of it up."  
  
"What are you doing? Your hands will freeze." Sephiroth, while not caring about the snow anymore, was still worried for her... he knew how cold snow was. It was only snow because of that. And the next thing he knew, she threw it at him.  
  
...Damn her... He tried to be nice to her, and she threw something at him... she must've figured it out... he was wanted nowhere. Sephiroth sighed, and was thinking about leaving. He was so angry and hurt.  
  
Yet she was laughing... she was laughing. "Aww, don't leave! I was only playing. You know, people throw snowballs at eachother for fun! I didn't mean to hurt you. C'mon!" She ran up to him, rubbing the snow off his black cloak. He pulled back at her touch. She continued to giggle merrily.  
  
"Oh, I see... So, my name's Aeris. You?" Aeris smiled. She really hadn't known... All of a sudden, he really wished she never did. He was a murderer... she'd never befriend him once she knew. But at the same time, deep inside his mind, he couldn't lie to her.  
  
"I am Sephiroth... I-I'm sorry. I should leave now." Sephiroth turned around. His darkness had corrupted this church for long enough  
  
"No, don't go, Sephir... hehe, your name's hard to pronounce! I'm gonna call you Seph. So, um, don't go Seph. I'm just getting to know you. So far, all I know is that your a shy soldier!" Aeris grinned at him. Shy... was that... what he was?  
  
"So, like to read? Your eyes seem worn out. Or maybe you just don't get enough sleep." Aeris smiled again. She had a very pretty smile.  
  
"Yes, I like to read... mostly I read strategy... history... and about great war heroes. That is what I am supposed to read." Sephiroth sighed. Even with Ghast, he was censored.  
  
"Ever read a book about flowers? There are supposed to be thousands of types! And every one of them has a name!"  
  
"No, I've never really read that kind of book. I'd like to someday."  
  
"This place is different than the other buildings. It's very special. It has light, and precipitation. Why is that? Do these flowers you speak of grow here?" Sephiroth had indeed wondered this since the very beginning. He had to know why this place was so special.  
  
"Yes... well, you see. This is a church! It's a holy place! It's the most peaceful place in Midgar... And in the Spring, there are flowers! They say you can't grow flowers in Midgar..."  
  
"A floating city above us... there is no day or night... except here." Sephiroth hated the Plate more than ever. There should be more places like this. More churches... everywhere. Yet everything he was thinking right now was going against Shinra's teachings. Yet he was forgetting, he hated Shinra anyways.  
  
"Yep... the flowers have no trouble growing here. One day, I might sell them. They are pretty hard to come by. I bet people will love them." Aeris giggled merrily. They talked and talked for ages it seemed.  
  
"That would be nice. I'd like to buy one... someday." Sephiroth felt extremely uncomfortable saying that. This 'church' seemed to make him want to do it though. It made him feel different.  
  
"Come back during the summer then. I'll give you one for free, since I like you." Aeris giggled again. She constantly laughed. Sephiroth was growing on that laughter though. He'd never felt this way before.  
  
Because your not supposed to feel that way, SOLDIER.  
  
"I would like that... alot." Sephiroth couldn't bring himself to smile, but he nodded at her. "Thank you."  
  
"Anytime. Hehe! The flowers smell wonderful. I can't wait to give them to you. Seph, promise me you'll come back, eh?" Aeris looked into his eyes, asking so kindly. Aeris noticed his eyes... had a deeper shade of mako than most.  
  
"I will if you still want to see me again. Most people tend to be... afraid of me. Why aren't you?" Sephiroth felt stupid asking this. Now she might go home and ask about Sephiroth. Then she'd find out, alright.  
  
"Would you like me to run away in fear?" Aeris grinned with a hint of sarcasm. "There's nothing scary about soldiers. I do have to go home now, though. Mom's waiting. I've been here too long already. Perhaps I can see you tomorrow...?"  
  
"No... I'm sorry. I'm off on more missions tomorrow. Perhaps, someday... I will see you again." Sephiroth nodded in hope.  
  
"Well, heh, I don't plan on moving anytime soon. Sooo, I guess I'll see you later then. By--e!" Aeris waved goodbye, and skipped home. Gone. He wouldn't see her for a while. Sephiroth had not lied when he said that he would be gone for a very long time.  
  
For about ten more minutes, he lingered in this place. It was so peaceful. He just rested and thought about Aeris. She was the second person who ever showed care towards him. And now he had to leave her. The only other person was Ghast. And Ghast had to leave him...  
  
Why am I parted with everyone I ever get close to!?  
  
And there Sephiroth was... left with the demented Hojo. When Ghast left, Hojo was promoted to head of the science department. Full time. There was no one else to appoint. At least no one who could compare to Ghast. But Hojo was almost insane... anyone would've been better, as far as he was concerned. Yet that didn't really matter. His opinion didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that he killed for Shinra.  
  
Finally, he left the church. He wanted to come back soon... but he knew this was only a one day visit back to Midgar. Now it was time to go back around the world. First, he would go back to Wutai, and show that Shinra was still around. It was not that they were rebelling, but Shinra needed to keep Wutai in check.  
  
Then, after his post there, he would travel across the sea to the western continent. There, he would start advanced training with new soldier candidates. Finally, he would travel to Nibelheim. There was an increasingly alarming monster growth rate there. Shinra didn't seem to care that much, however. It could be prolonged for many months before it got too bad. Shinra had its priorities set for itself, and not others. It didn't matter how many people died until he fixed it.  
  
"Shiro... I thought you were going back alone." Sephiroth grimaced. He did not want a lecture or to even see him right now. He was deep in thought.  
  
"You've been gone for nearly two hours. I've been sent to retrieve you and nothing more. Return to the plate. There has been an incident in Wutai and you are to give them a reason to make sure it doesn't happen again. Shinra is sending you out earlier than expected." Shiro turned around, knowing Sephiroth would follow. The order had come from a higher authority. He didn't dare disobey.  
  
"...." Sephiroth just walked slowly through the rubble. To the train. To the plate. He didn't want to say anything. Not a word...

Would things always be this way? Would he ever be free? Why did he always do everything that Shinra told him? Wasn't he strong enough to rebel? But... why would he want to? Why did he care? He didn't.


	3. Fake

Finally, it was time for Sephiroth to reveal himself alive to the world. A difficult task, no doubt. He was hated by people... everywhere. Every single human inhabited place... he was hated. There was no doubt about it. The time of difficulties was near. No matter how difficult or hard, though, he had to know the truth. After Sephiroth knew the truth, he did not know what he would do... he only knew... that he would not be controlled again.  
  
As Sephiroth slowly stood up, he could see the beautiful sunrise. It was strange how he had never noticed it before. Always too busy. Perhaps now that he was afraid to go on, it was easier to stop and look at the beauty of the world. Then again, nothing is made to be pretty. Everything has its uses. Jenova and Shinra had similar thoughts. He was not controlled by them anymore, however. He could do whatever he pleased... if he wanted to look at the pretty sunset, he would. If he wanted to look at snow, he would.  
  
Snow... the first time he saw it, Sephiroth was in the holy church of Midgar. The second time... he was trying to destroy the planets. How queer it all seemed now. Jenova was a fog to cloud his mind. He was finally free. And the freedom was so beautiful. Jenova released him from Shinra, and Cloud released him from Jenova.  
  
Cloud. Cloud Strife. Cloud Strife killed him. If anyone hated Sephiroth, it was Cloud Strife. Cloud Strife had the kind of hatred towards Sephiroth that was just... inhuman. And yet, he had a good reason to. As far as Cloud Strife knew, Sephiroth was a murderer. Sephiroth took everything from him on purpose. Cloud Strife... was clueless as ever. He knew nothing in the matters of the Planet.  
  
Yet did Sephiroth really know any more than Cloud Strife? He never knew what Jenova rambled on about when she talked of Terra and Gaia. As if there were actually two different planets inhabited by intelligent life. There was only one. And that is why we called it the Planet. So that was where Sephiroth had been clueless. What was Terra? What was Gaia? How did they relate to the Planet...?  
  
Sephiroth's thoughts wandered far too much. He needed to enter Bone Village. That would be the start of his journey through hell. That is what it would take to get what he wanted. He smirked at the thought. Sephiroth always got what he wanted.  
  
Not always. Back when he could be controlled by Shinra... he was too small. Too naive. He had been manipulated ever since he was born. Every day now, he began to hate Shinra more. They took his life. They played God... with him.  
  
Revenge, however, was not his current plan. His current plan was to find out where Jenova came from. Who she was. First, he would travel to Nibelheim. Yet what if there was nothing there? Midgar. He always had a second plan up his sleeve. Just in case the first one didn't work. That was one thing he learned from the books he read. And the battles he fought in.  
  
Here it was. Bone Village. Not exactly the entrance though. More like... the exit. People rarely came out the same way. The only reason people passed through Bone Village was to get to the mountains. Or... the Northern Crater.  
  
To see Sephiroth coming back through this exit. How excited everyone would be. How angry. How hateful.... everyone was going to hate him. Sephiroth was a strong man, however. He would not let this get in his way. He would not kill anyone unless absolutely necessary. The times of mindless killings were gone. Now, Sephiroth was on his own mission. He was going to do it his way.  
  
Sephiroth never liked violence. It was the only thing he knew how to do. Now who was the first person to say that... He shrugged, entering Bone Village.  
  
It wasn't even really a village. Just a bunch of dirty old tents. Looked just the same as always. The only people who lived here were performing an excavation. How pathetic. Digging through the very Planet's skin for material possessions. Ha, ha, ha...  
  
It took less than a minute for the commotion to start. Damnit... why couldn't they just... he could hardly blame them though.  
  
"It's... Sir... it's General Sephiroth! He's back, a-ag-again! I couldn't believe it the first time he came back. Yet... twice!? I must be... hallucinating! You can't be real..." It was an old soldier. Clearly he had been through all of Sephiroth's reign. He'd probably seen of Sephiroth for several lifetimes. He wore blue armor, the trademark of an average soldier. As an average soldier, he also carried a mere gun. Guns, ha, ha, ha!  
  
Everyone in the world knew that guns were only for those too unskilled to wield a sword. Guns could be used from a distance and very rapidly, yet did very little damage. Most soldiers wore armor that protected them from the bulk of the damage. And the others... like Sephiroth... could not be killed easily by such small things as bullets. Soldiers induced by high levels of Mako, energy from the Planet, had very high healing factors and tough skin. The bullets still made them bleed, they still hurt... yet a swordsman could kill in one strike. A gun had to hit so many times before it could kill anyone. Two headshots could not kill Sephiroth. And that had been proven.  
  
Obviously, no First Class soldiers were located here. Only average kids and a single officer. The officer wore a very neat blue suit. Like a Turk. Very much like a Turk. So, they sent the Turks to do more of their dirty work. Heh. Excavating. Shinra really didn't like to get their hands dirty.  
  
"Sephiroth... it's been a long time. About six years. Of course you've been busy, I understand... Burning Nibelheim to the ground, dying, coming back, and then you had to summon Meteor. I understand completely why you haven't come to visit me. But there is one thing I don't understand..." The Turk had greeted him coldly, reminding Sephiroth of all his evil deeds. Each and every one of them. Ha, ha. What did it matter now?  
  
"You never did understand much, tool." Sephiroth replied coldly, showing no emotion. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he could not risk looking weak either. He wanted to move on past this town without any casualties. If he looked submissive, they might try and take him down.  
  
The Turk looked abashed at those words. "Why the hell did the Planet bothered letting scum like you live? Hah. I've known you for so long... and you've always been spoiled. I always tried to look out for you. Everything I did was in your best interest. Yet you always turned me down. Scum. You don't even know when people try to help you. It matters not anymore, though." He laughed. He was talking to Sephiroth as if he knew him.  
  
"Shiro, Shiro, Shiro... I didn't want to kill anyone today. But you're going to make me go against my new principles. You could just step aside. I'd prefer that." Sephiroth stood firmly with confidence. His blade, the Masamune, was raging to get out of the sheathe and spill blood once again. Yet Sephiroth contained the urge to kill this man. His only interest was getting to Nibelheim. No blood shed... not yet. He'd ruined too many families already. He did not want to add more sins to his name. "You're just a weak tool. Give up and accept your weakness, little Shiro." Sephiroth gave a blank expression. No feeling at all.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha... I just know you so well. I will not step aside. You are a plague to the Planet. You should have died five years ago. I am suprised you remember me. I was nothing to you. My brother was nothing to you. No, you shouldn't have died five years ago. You should've died six years ago. With those pathetic people of the slums. You definitely seemed to like those filthy rats. Hah." Shiro laughed like Sephiroth did on the day of Nibelheim... so that is what it looked like to be so evil.  
  
"So, Shiro, I see you became a Turk. Congratulations. You finally gave up on soldier. You were too weak to make a good soldier. I told you that many times, didn't I?" Spehiroth clenched his fist as tightly as he could. He couldn't believe he was conversing with Shiro. No... he had to remember that he wasn't being controlled anymore. That he did not have to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary. And he knew very well that before, he killed when it was not necessary... because Shinra felt it was.  
  
"No. Leader of the Turks, to be politically correct. Tell me something, Sephiroth. Do you remember when you let my brother die? Five years ago, to be exact. You were too busy gaining glory for Shinra to bother looking for my brother. Too busy slaughtering monsters to care about a human life. You bastard. Lives don't matter to you, do they? Nothing matters to you. You scum. My brother didn't die from that fall, you know. He died because you refused to take an hour out of your glory to look for him. You... I hate everything about you!" Shiro looked on the verge of letting a tear out of his eye, but he straightened up quickly.

"You will die here, Sephiroth. I will cut your body into so many pieces that I guarantee that no one will ever be able to put your body back together. Prepare to pay for your sins." Shiro glared him into the eyes, a pure hatred like Cloud's. It was yet another family that Sephiroth had ruined. Not uncommon.  
  
The soldiers in the town raised their rifles, but Shiro held his palm out. "This is my fight. Those who fire shall be killed." Shiro continued to glare at Sephiroth, slowly revealing his short katana. It was pure silver, polished perfectly. Yet if you looked carefully at it, you could see the bloodstains of a thousand men on the blade.

Every person in the entire town was watching them glare at eachother. Two very powerful men... They watched from a long distance... They all looked at Shiro as a hero, fearing Sephiroth would kill them all. Raine, only a child of six, had the most absurd opinion though. She thought that Sephiroth would leave them all alone. That Shiro was the real bad guy here. Sephiroth only wanted to pass through...  
  
Silly Raine. Kids always tried to see things in such a simple way. She had no idea what Sephiroth was capable of. Sephiroth was probably here to burn their entire village the second they turned their backs. And then he'd be off to destroy the world again. That was the only thing that damn nutter would want to do.  
  
"I see... I suppose that there is no way I can get to Nibelheim without shedding blood?" Sephiroth inquirid, figuring that as of now, he had to fight.  
  
"You will not have to shed any blood... other than your own! I slay you in the name of the people that you have sinned against, for all the people you ever slaughtered." Shiro glared at him with his bright, blue eyes. Sephiroth had never really noticed Shiro's features until now. He was never a very important person in his life until now... Dark brown hair clouded over his eyes. Its shadow made his entire face darken as he lowered his head, unsheathing his blade completely.  
  
"Very well, Shiro..." Sephiroth unsheathed his Masamune, ready to end Shiro's life. He glared right back at Shiro. Not with hate or vengeace, but with sadness. No matter what he did, Sephiroth always ended up having to kill someone. Aeris wouldn't go back. She just had to let him kill her. Now Shiro was being the same way... Even though they were nothing alike. He shook his head, preparing for battle.  
  
Shiro made the first move, dashing forward with a diagonal slash. The only Turk to use a sword... Sephiroth jumped back smoothly, thrusting his much longer blade towards Shiro. Shiro, like Sephiroth, dodged the attack, jumping quickly to the right.  
  
Shiro was alot better than Sephiroth had ever anticipated. However, Sephiroth was merely testing Shiro's style. Being the best swordsman to ever live, the match was over before it started.  
  
Sephiroth skillfully jumped back again, continuing to test Shiro's style. "I'm suprised you don't use Shinra's style. You do everything else they want you to do." Sephiroth mocked his every move. Before battle, he was quiet... he did not want to fight... he wouldn't provoke it. But once he got into the fight, all rules were off. He'd do everything he could to win flawlessly.  
  
"The style of Sanguis Statim. I'm sure you'll understand it soon enough!" Shiro slashed as hard as he could at Sephiroth, who replied by crossing his blade in a defensive position.  
  
"You know it's no match for Masamune. This fight is already over. You cannot win. Feel free to run anytime." Sephiroth was no longer willing to walk away. The fight had started and Shiro's life was over. If Shiro did choose to run like a coward, though, Sephiroth probably would have let him.  
  
"So you can burn Nibelheim down again? Never! Die, Sephiroth Kesanaga!" Shiro thrusted his blade forward at Sephiroth once again, determined to make him bleed. To feel everyones pain! To relieve everyone from his return. He would never let Sephiroth live again! Once he defeated Sephiroth, he would slash his body into so many pieces... he would spit on the bastards grave. Nothing would be left of him.  
  
Anger struck Sephiroth's heart at the name of Kesanaga. In a single second, Sephiroth took all his knowledge from his enemies imperfection, his weaknesses, his lack of skill... He parried Shiro's blade off balance, and took his own blade deep into Shiro's chest. "You lose." Sephiroth grinned at him, and put himself closer to Shiro as to whisper something into his ear.

"I have no last name. It would do you good to remember that, little Shiro. In the future, I recommend that you stop being a tool or it will be your demise." Sephiroth laughed as Shiro once again gave an expression of pure hatred. He coughed up more blood while trying to reply.

"...You cannot..." He spat up more crimson blood from his mouth. "Escape... your id-entity. You will never... escape... the curse and legacy of Kesanaga..."  
  
"...Shiro... you useless fool. Kesanaga is just another lie. I am not born of the Ancients. Nibelheim proved that Hojo was..." Sephiroth went too far. Was anything that he learned in Nibelheim true? Anything at all? What did he know? Maybe he was... he did not know of his parents. Everything he had ever known was a lie. Perhaps Shiro knew something that he didn't.  
  
"My name is only Sephiroth. Remember it well if you live. I do hope you live to abhor me... I am going to Nibelheim. I do, however, wish that you do not follow me. It will only lead to your death. Goodbye." Sephiroth growled it in a low voice that only Shiro could hear.  
  
"Fuck you... Sephiroth... I hope you ROT." Shiro screamed in rage in his last moments of conciousness. He lost to that bastard. That bastard Sephiroth. He couldn't believe it. He didn't even scratch him with his father's stlye... his father died making that style. And now he died using it...  
  
"I was... only a..." Shiro coughed blood up in the middle of his sentence. It was hard for him to go on. "A soldier... trying to do his job... protecting the Planet in the name of Shinra... trying to avenge my brother... so fuck you, Sephiroth. You ruin every place you enter with your damned insanity... I can't wait until you die! You can't feel pain or sorrow. You are just a monster without feelings. You have no right to live among human beings... I hope you rot..." Shiro growled with such prejudice and hate. He was another Cloud.  
  
Sephiroth supposed that Meteor... was pretty... horrifying. He nearly killed everyone. E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e. The entire Planet. He deserved to be shunned.

Click. The soldier's raised their rifles once more, commanded by a soldier dressed in the standard uniform with one exception: it was red. He was a captain. "You are under arrest for treason against Shinra and influencing riots. Sephiroth is dead. Your masquerade is over. Drop your weapon." There were at least one hundred soldiers in the area now. While he was busy fighting Shiro, the Shinra army had assembled reinforcements. There was one mistake in their assessment, however. He was the real Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was completely surrounded by soldiers, each carrying a rifle aimed at his head. In a situation that seemed to be Sephiroth's defeat, he laughed as if he were insane once more. "Ha, ha, ha. You really want me to kill you, don't you? You really do! I actually had myself convinced that I didn't have to kill anymore. I just wanted to find out who I was... but Shinra, as always, wants to be in my way. If that is so, then so be it. Ha, ha, ha." Sephiroth's teeth clenched and his eyes glared at the captain. "Go ahead and command them to fire if you don't believe that I am Sephiroth. Before you do, though, I have one question. Do you know what it feels like to be incinerated by a fire spell at level five?" Sephiroth's voice was no longer cool and raspy, but full of arrogance and anger. It boomed with the sound of his strength. They had riled him enough.

"Fire." The sound of a few hundred bullets all travelling towards Sephiroth at once resembled the sound of a two freight trains crashing into one another.. Yet as the bullets left the guns, time slowed down. It seemed that time itself was being manipulated by Sephiroth's collosal strength. No... time wasn't slowing down.... the air around Sephiroth had just simply stopped. It was if Sephiroth stole the energy itself from the matter around him. All the bullets simply stopped in midair and fell to the ground. "Your bullets seem not to be making it to their targets. Another question, please. Can any of you move?"

Sephiroth began to walk towards the captain of the soldiers. "Release." Suddenly, the soldier in red uniform fell to the ground, gasping. All the other soldiers around him stood frozen, unable to budge an inch.

"You... are no fake..." Fear. This was true fear. This was the same fear the Wutain soldiers exemplified over a decade ago. The same fear of the people of Nibelheim as he burned the entire down to ashes.

"If Shinra continues to pursue me, I will destroy their entire army. There is not one person that you know that is strong enough to kill me. So give up. Take a lesson from your friend, Shiro. Ha, ha..." Sephiroth grinned, and turned his back to the soldier. "I am going to Nibelheim. If you wish to pursue me, I will not kill you. There are things worse than death that my anger produces. Let that be a lesson to you." As Sephiroth walked away, the captain's uniform became incinerated with a fire so deep that the icy, cold air around him only fueled it further. His muffled cries were heard by none.

Sephiroth's dark shade of green Mako eyes shined brightly as he walked out of Bone Village. His presence scared the villagers away. He had to leave if they were going to help Shiro and the captain. He wanted Shiro to live. Why...? Who knows what goes on inside an insane mans head. That mattered not. All he had to do was ride a boat back to the mainland. That would be easy. He'd sneak aboard the ship going back to Rocket Town. Obviously, it would be delivering the message that Shiro was seriously wounded... and that the immortal Sephiroth was alive once again.  
  
Since the highest ranking Turk had been seriously wounded, perhaps even fatally, there was no doubt that a messenger would be sent back to the mainland. Who could stop him from going along with them?  
  
Sephiroth's image was quite unreal now. No one was really ready to believe the caller of Meteor was back. And after going through Rocket Town, he knew... he knew the world would know. There was no hiding it. He had to move quickly. No one ever paid attention to his warnings, anyways. The Shinra army would most likely attempt to pursue him.


	4. Loveless

Sephiroth looked out into the everlasting sea. The waves continued to crash over and over into the hull of the small vessel. The sea was truly a beautiful thing. No, not beautiful. It was useful for travel. Everything had a use. Things that weren't useful for practical matters were useless. Beauty was useless. It didn't seem so bad though, now. It made him feel good. Was that useless, too? Feeling good? Happiness? What was the purpose of his life...

Well, obviously, there was some purpose. The Planet must have felt so. His body was reanimated... no clue as to why. There must have been some good reason, though. Somewhere out there. In life's sea, it was easy to get lost. He knew that better than anyone. So many times he had been lost. This time would be different, though. He'd find what he was looking for, no matter what diversions came his way. Perhaps...

Perhaps he had been reanimated to pay for his sins. To pay for being weak. He was pretty emotionally weak for such a man of high stature. That is... if he was a man. Could a monster such as himself be considered a human being? Even now, as he claimed to be changed, he nearly killed another man. Why? Shiro had been angry for letting his brother die in the icy cold mountains of Nibelheim, and for burning the town to the ground. Was it not his fault? Of course it was his fault! Everything was his fault. He should've let Shiro go. He should've... he should've let Shiro get his revenge. He deserved the pain.

Sephiroth laughed now. His voice couldn't be heard beyond the crashing waves. Hmm... "A storm is coming." He shrugged. A storm... a perfect symbol for his arrival to the mainland. As usual, he would darken every place that he entered. Maybe... maybe if he was a better person, he could have refused to kill for Shinra. He could have prevented the atrocities that would soon occur after the war was won. After all, Wutai rebelled for freedom, didn't they? Why did Shinra fight? Control. It was always about control.

Sephiroth's platinum hair wavered with the waves. The cold air could be easily felt, burning his face. It was nothing. Sephiroth was used to such pain. The harshness of winter was nothing to him. Rain. It began to rain.

"Get off the deck! This isn't a regular storm!" An average soldier. Blue uniform. He was weak. Ha, ha, ha. Sephiroth was arrogant now, but what if the ship toppled into the endless sea? Ha, ha. What a perfect demise for the strongest man ever to live. To be destroyed by a silly storm! As Sephiroth slowly turned towards the soldier, the kid looked like he had seen a ghost. He was just a boy. No doubt he had not been in the army for long. Yet even so, everyone knew of the legend of Sephiroth.

"S-S-Sephiroth? You are..." The boy shook his head. "My apologies sir! But you look quite a bit like General Sephiroth! No time for that, though! This is a hurricane, and you need to get inside immediately. Please follow me." As Sephiroth knew, everyone would try to make up excuses to themselves. If the boy had been in a rational mood, he would've easily determined that he could be none other than Sephiroth because of his tattoo. Black number one. No one else in the world had that tattoo. Even if they did, they would not have the defining features such as his elegant blade or his long, beautiful platinum hair.

Sephiroth followed him reguardless into the interior of the ship. "Do me a favor, kid. Leave me alone and don't mention me to anyone." Sephiroth sat behind a couple of boxes. They were filled with... ha, reactor parts. Perhaps they were making a reactor in Rocket Town? Doubtful. There was little mako there. He didn't know the ships destination, but he assumed that because the ship was originally docked at the northern continent, that these parts were meant for that icy land. Why should he even be thinking about that? ...It didn't matter. The kid was still staring at him.

"You're really him, aren't you? You are... Sephiroth. A victim of society... how tragic." The boy grinned.

"Victim of society, huh? You're quick to make that judgement. Sephiroth is dead. Why do-"

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

"Josua, what the hell are you doing? Get back to work! We have to repair the ship. It's leaking." A commanding officer was screaming orders at the boy. It seemed strange, but Sephiroth took this time to sleep in all the racket. Strange yet again that no one noticed Sephiroth when he was on the dock. Security was too lax. If Sephiroth had been commanding this vessel, things would've been different. Real different. But why did he keep thinking of such fruitless things? None of it really mattered. Pehraps it was just boredom.

Tifa looked down at the floor again. There was so much on her mind. It had been hard to keep going after almost dying on the day of Meteor... And there was only one day left of relaxation. Then they would be moving on again. Back on the mission of Avalanche. For a long time, they just sat together in silence.

Cloud finally broke the calm."So, Tifa, we go back tomorrow... but... you know, if we could just stop Shinra... we'd have a permanent vacation. We could finally settle down, you know? It'd be nice, wouldn't it?"

"Yea..." She didn't really feel like talking, or for that matter, doing anything. Complicated feelings came to her as returning Avalanche was not far away. She would be risking her life again. And Cloud's. It would've been so much easier to settle down now. Yet who knows what would happen if they didn't do anything.

"Here in Kalm. It's such a peaceful town. However..." Cloud sighed, uneasy. "We have tough times ahead of us. Tifa, I don't think I would've made it up to here without you... you know what I'm saying? It's you that's kept me going. You were the only person who ever cared about me back then."

"Back then?"

"Back then, I got by with only scraped knees..."

"What are you talking about, Cloud? Stop being silly." Yet even as she said this, she grinned for the first time in days. Stupid Cloud. She wanted to be sad, sorrowful. But Cloud always had to make her smile or laugh. Why couldn't she control herself? Now was the time to be sad.

"When I was weak. The other kids would play their games without me. I was always alone. I don't even think you liked me that much. Ha. We weren't even close. Yet I grew attached to you, Tifa. A one-sided love. You listened to me, sometimes."

"Of course I liked you, in my own way." Tifa sighed. She wondered what he was getting at.

"Nobody ever listened to me. My mother was too busy telling me how I needed someone to take care of me. Exemplifying the fact that I was weak. My late father got himself killed in that fruitless war with Wutai." Cloud sighed. "You listened, though. You let me vent to you. Even though you really didn't seem to care about me one way or another, you listened. Without thinking of you, I would've never made it through soldier. Well, actually, I failed at that too. But... I kept going. Even when I wanted to die, I kept going because I knew if I could just be strong, you might like me."

"Being strong has nothing to do with love, Cloud."

"I don't know about that, Tifa. I doubted you'd ever date a loser like me. No one liked me. I was alone. I had to be stronger, so people would listen to me. It's like the rich and poor, Tifa. Rich girls don't marry poor guys, and strong people don't marry weak people. It's just the way of life." Cloud was obviously an emotional wreck. He never let out so much of himself like this.

"You're opening up to me. Strange. Anyways... I disagree with you, Cloud. You were never weak. Even if you were..." She looked towards the ceiling. "That's not why I like you, Cloud."

"Why do you like me, then?"

"Because you are you."

"So..."

Tifa nodded, her brown eyes glancing down to the wooden floor again. She didn't know what to say.

"Things are going to better from now on, Tifa. It'll be easier this time. We have support, and... he's not here this time to screw everything up." Cloud nodded. They both shared a deep hatred for Sephiroth. He burned their hometown to ashes. The anger that was inside of them, the need for revenge, had not subsided, even as Sephiroth lay dead in Lifestream.

"Yes, he's finally gone." She grinned as if it just happened, even though it was over a month ago. It was a bitter glee. "I really, really hated him Cloud. He took everything from me. Everything except you." She glanced up, and gave Cloud a hug.

"I hated him too. It's because of him that I can't go to my hometown without screaming. I wish... I wish I could go back to Nibelheim... I wish we could live in your house, Tifa... but there's so many bad memories there. They taunt me, they tell me how weak I am, how I'm nothing to you... and how you'd never want to live with me."

"That house... it lies, Cloud. Because..." Tifa stumbled over her words, almost saying something she had never said before.

"Yea... we made it this far together, right? I haven't let you get hurt since that time..." Cloud grinned and Tifa smiled. That memory was behind both of them. They had talked about it already, and agreed that it wasn't Cloud's fault. Even though everyone else thought it was. He remembered it like it was yesterday. Tifa's mom died, and she went up the mountain by herself, being the silly kid that she was. She thought her mom was just over the mountain. That's what everyone told her when her mother died. Mount Nibel held the worst memories imaginable to both of them. Sephiroth's insanity began there, but not only that...

The bridge snapped. Tifa fell into a coma. Cloud had followed her and saved her life. Yet, everyone in Nibelheim blamed Cloud. He shouldn't have let her go! That was the day Cloud decided he had to become stronger. The day he decided to join soldier, so he'd be strong enough to protect Tifa.

They talked alot... hours each day. Memories, fantasies, secrets, fears... Shinra... The only thing they hadn't talked about was what happened on the day of Meteor. They both dodged the subject of Aeris and Holy. Whenever they mentioned Sephiroth, they had to mention how much they hated him. He had no conscience.

"Cloud, when we do finally defeat Shinra... I want to live here with you here. In Kalm. I don't think I'll ever be able to live in my house again. I love it here. And..." For weeks, Tifa had been trying to say it, but it wouldn't come out.

"Yea... this would be a nice place to settle down. Yea... about Shinra..." Cloud slowly went back into that topic. "They are pretty hurt from Diamond Weapon's attack. But they are still a powerful Empire." Cloud stopped for a moment.

"Empire?"

"They choose not to use that word, I know. But that's what they are. An Empire that is growing stronger each day that we don't act... and..."

"Go on." Tifa encouraged him.

"I'm not sure what our next move is going to be. We have to stop Shinra, though. We only delayed the death. Red told us when we dropped him off at Cosmos Canyon... that the planet still cried. But I really don't know what to do against Shinra now. They are so powerful. We can't just go around blowing up reactors anymore... you know what happened when we did that. So... so what can we do to them that will have a major influence on them... without hurting innocent people?" Cloud sighed heavily, and paused again, out of breath.

"I think you should save that question for everyone tomorrow... if everyone shows up, that is. They came back last time... but they knew if they didn't come, they'd die in a few days anyways. This time, everyone has a chance to go back to a peaceful life. We keep fighting because... we're the heart of Avalanche. Red will come too, I know. Cid guaranteed he'd come back. But what about Yuffie, Vincent, or Reeve? Or Barret... what if he decides to stay with Marlene? Everyone has discovered how nice they can have it... years of peace. I'm afraid they won't come back this time."

"I'll save the question for tomorrow. And I know everyone will come back. They have an obligation to. We're a team. Avalanche... I know they will all come back Tifa. Don't worry about it." Cloud stroked her hair silently as she smiled back to him.

"Alright, I trust you." Tifa giggled. It'd be nice meeting the others again... even if it meant leaving the peaceful life behind.

"And I have an announcement about Reeve to make tomorrow, as well... it's not the right time to tell you now."

"So, who is the new President?" Tifa wondered anxiously.

"Scarlet has made herself new President as an addition to being head of the Weapon Manufacturing Department. Reeve himself has kept in contact with me up until a few days ago. So I know who the head of every department is. As well as a few other facts. Have I succeeded in making you exceedingly impatient about tomorrow?" Cloud grinned, hoping he did.

"A little... I will still miss this peaceful town." Tifa glanced at the floor, avoiding his stair.

"Yea... I guess I will too." Cloud couldn't disagree there.

"Well... we should start packing, and then get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow... best be prepared for it." Cloud was talking like a leader again, no longer speaking as a comforting friend or companion.

"Yea... alright Cloud... guess it's time to stop being so selfish... after all, we have to play our part in Avalanche. Guess I'll start packing..." Tifa walked over to her dresser, and began taking things out...

In Rocket Town

"I'm leavin' tomorrow... yea..." Cid sat back in his chair, uncomfortable and displeased. It was really hard to talk to Shera after all that had happened. He'd been such a jerk to her for all these years. And for what? Trying to save his unworthy life?

"Are you sure you have to go tomorrow? Maybe everyone else wants a longer vacation..." Shera looked directly at him with a pleading look. It only hurt Cid even more to know that she wanted him to stay. He felt so worthless.

"Yes, I have to fuckin' go tomorrow... Shera, you know I wish I could stay. But the battle with Shinra ain't over. Those numbskulls need me. They'll crash my damn ship if I don't, hah hah..." Cid tried to lighten the mood with humor. Didn't make him feel any better.

"Sorry... I'll miss you, Cid. Please come back when you can. I'll wait for you." Shera sighed. Only a month. And he had to go again. Maybe someday, Shinra wouldn't exist. And the Captain would be happy again.

"Shera, you shouldn't... even bother waitin' for me. I'm glad you will, but... Shi', all the years I've been treating you like this. For fucking what? Saving my life... I wouldn't blame you if you left with the next guy you met." Cid rolled his eyes.

"No, I wouldn't leave for anyone. The mission probably would've been a success. So what if that thing blew up? You wouldn't have even needed to go down there if I hadn't failed the first mission. Cid, I'll gladly live the rest of my life trying to help you." Shera honestly gave all her true feelings into that. The memories were horrifying.

The preparations for the rocket launch were ready. Yet she was not satisfied with the results on one of the tanks. The eighth one. Right in the engine of the rocket. She was there... trying to fix it. She didn't mind dying. She was doing her best to let the Captain have his dream succesfully. Yet he cancelled the launch, saving her life. Ever since then, the Captain treated her poorly. And she felt that she deserved it...

Yet recently, the rocket launch was restarted to send a bomb at the approaching threat called Meteor. The rocket had Huge Materia stored in it to enhance the explosion. It was the most powerful explosion Shinra could muster.Cid took the rocket to space. It was his dream to be the first man to go to outerspace. He also needed to steal the Huge Materia. It was far too valuable to be destroyed. The explosion was too dangerous.

However, Shinra put auto-pilot on the rocket. They were all stuck on a flight to death. There was no turning the rocket around. Avalanche raced for the escape pod, and then the eighth tank blew... falling on top of Cid. Everyone, including Shera, moved it off him. She had saved his life, and been right all along. He hated her all his life for being down there, when it turned out that she was right. The tank really was malfunctioning. That was when Cid's attitude first started to change towards her.

"Don't fuckin' get it, do you? You saved my life twice, now. When you were tryin' to fix that damn thing on the rocket, and then when you moved it off my worthless body. Damn, Shera. You don't have to sit around here serving me like a damn slave. I can't believe I spent so many years making you think it was your fault. I had my dream, Shera. And it almost cost me my life, that it did. And then you saved my life so I could live to tell about my dream. I owe everything to you, Shera. I could say... I ruined your life. So stop fuckin' being so nice to me, and acting as if you need to be my servant." That had to be the longest speech he'd ever given to Shera.

"Cid... I'd gladly do it anyways, because... I love you." Shera quickly averted her eyes, looking at the kitchen. Blushing, she tried to quickly change the conversation. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, I don't want no fuckin' tea... Just relax on my last day here, alright?" Cid muttered. He was glad she changed the conversation. He didn't exactly know what to say about that. Love... Couldn't be worse than that movie, Loveless. Hah hah.

For a few minutes, they both sat silently, looking around at the bookshelf, the kitchen, the table, the chairs. Anything except eachother. It was extremely awkward.

Cid really blew it... and the only reason Shera was still around was because she was as fucking stupid as ever. Stupid to stay with him. Stupid to... love him. Just plain fucking stupid. If she had any sense, she would've left him the day the rocket launch failed. He was the best pilot in the world, yet ironically, the coldest person in the world as well.

"I meant it, you know..." Shera finally came up with the courage to bring it up again.

"Yea, you're as stupid as ever, Shera. Tryin' to stay with me. Should've left me the day I started treating you so badly." Cid cursed himself under his breath.

"And you are just as tactless." Shera giggled. She'd defintely changed since Cid had been nicer to her, although she still acted like a damn servant. She was happier now that he had lived his dream of going into space. That mattered so much to her.

"Well, I just... don't know what to say Shera. I guess I love you too. If I didn't, I guess I'd be crazy. Since your the only person in the world crazy enough to take this abuse." He shrugged.

"You guess?" Shera asked anxiously.

"Well... yes... I love you, alright!? Fuckin' hell... Shera, I'm gonna miss you too, but, I gotta say one more time... I'm so sorry." Cid stood up.

"I really don't mind. You don't have to keep apologizing. Please, stop."

"Well, you should mind. Anyways, I'm gonna go out to prepare the ship... make sure those idiots didn't screw anything up. I'll be back in a few hours." Cid began walking towards the door, while hearing a soft goodbye.

Cid walked sadly through Rocket Town. Every few steps, he'd hear someone greeting him. Hey, Captain! Yep... he was known as the Captain by everyone in this town. As he walked past the old wooden houses and through the grass, he thought about many things. Mainly, his guilt about Shera. But since he said I love you... another thought came.

The grass swayed side to side while hitting his boots. He wanted to marry Shera. A thought he had once laughed at. A thought he had once said... gave him the chills. Now he wanted to do it. But he couldn't. He had to go back with Avalanche. Although he of course did not want to.

Cid looked up at the huge airship. The Highwind. He had built it himself so many years ago. It was his gateway to the skies, and yet at the same time stole his freedom. It kept him from staying with Shera.

Cid wondered what it would be like... once Shinra was gone. He could be with Shera, and who knows. Kids... hah hah. Even if marriage didn't give him the chills anymore... the thought of having kids always would.

Yes, that thought would always give him the chills. Cid climbed up the ladder, slowly getting up to the grey, plain deck. The ship was kind of depressing. Compared to the grassy lands below him, anyways.

Author Notes

You know, it's really hard to keep writing this. No one ever reviews or gives me feedback. I have no idea if I'm good or not... kinda makes me think, what the hell am I writing this for? Seems only two people ever bother telling me that they actually read it. Oh well, I guess it's just an old habit. Gotta see this fic to the end.


	5. Suicide

* * *

Vincent took his only child's life. He never tried to change him. Everything he ever did was to hurt the child. He couldn't even complete Lucrecia's final request before she died. Vincent was too weak. He let his son be controlled by the sickest man he ever knew. Professor Hojo ruined Sephiroth. No, if there anyone he hated more than Hojo, it was himself. He let this happen. The guilt that surfaced into Vincent's mind was far greater than that of the guilt that he suffered through his nightmares for thirty years. Thirty years... for thirty long years, he let his son be abused by the world. For what he had punished himself for for all those years turned out to be yet another sin added to his long list of failures.  
  
Vincent sighed, breathing hard with the thoughts of bad memories. His long, black hair had grown even longer in the past month. And he still wore the same attire. A red bandana to cover his greatest scar. The rest was black clothing beneath a red cloak. The dark colors represented his failure to himself. It had nothing to do with being a Turk... Turks... black symbolized his mourning, and red to the blood of the innocent. He'd never be caught wearing blue. Never again.  
  
Perhaps it would be better to go back to the beginning to truly describe why he was such a devil. No matter what Vincent seemed to do, it always hurt others. He was born on October 13th to be exact. It is said that six is the number of the devil, and seven is that of holy. If that were so, than he would be the six and Lucrecia would be the number seven. Not only was date of birth unlucky, but the place he was born turned out to be truly ironic. He was the Wutain Prince, set to succeed his father.

Yet things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to. Vincent was at the age of twelve when his father was murdered by the Kisaragi faction. Wutain politics were complicated. Back then, Shinra was not quite a world power yet. The Kisaragi faction, however, had great foresight in the events to come. They felt the need to start more aggressive policy towards the world and its own empire. The royalty known as Kasana believed that the empire had finally entered an era of peace and stability. Thus, rebellion broke out.

Lord Godo slaughtered Vincent's parents in front of his eyes that night. He hid... he was pathetic His parents were murdered and all he could do was cry silently inside the closet. If he made the slightest noise, he probably would have died too. But he felt at the very least that he could've something... but he did nothing. Another one of his sins. Sometimes, he wished that he had gone with his parents, or fought against the Kisaragi family. But... that is the past.

Men are known to do anything to achieve their ambitions, but it is also known that the ends do not always justify the means. In this case certainly, the ends justified nothing. Wutai declared war on the corporation known as Shinra several decades later. It was looked upon as quite possibly the most moronic move that any kingdom ever made. Shinra produced weapons, and that was it. They were not a country until after the war. The Kisaragi family brought destruction upon its own great empire by poor economic, social, and foreign policies. Small disputes would occur between Shinra and Wutai for many years. However, it would be ten years after Sephiroth was finally born before the would the war actually begin.

It could be inferred that had the Kasana family continued to rule over Wutai and kept peaceful relationships with the world around it, Wutai would have been able to suppress the Shinra organization when it got too aggressive. However, a combination of economic, political, and foreign policy problems all signaled the failure of Wutai to organize an army powerful enough to stop the reign of Shinra. Shinra, through trickery and deception, gained the alliance of most people around them. The Kisaragi family was not trusted for their selfish policies. Even though Wutai was the most powerful country in the world at that time, it had no alliances. As a result of caring only about itself, the people rose against it.

This marked not only the demise of the Wutain Empire, but the rise of the most powerful country ever known to man. Shinra, Inc. would become the absolute super power of the world. However, it is also to be emphasized that the war was not without casualties on both sides. In fact, one might say that the war was extremely even in the first five years that it was fought.

During the initial ten years after the rise of the Kisaragi, Vincent would escape Wutai to the only people who would accept him because they did not know who he really was: Shinra. During this time, he learned to shoot a gun. He had a damn good shot, really. The details of his escape are unknown except for the fact that he was accompanied by a man with long blonde hair. His last name... damn... can't remember. Flash. Midgar.

Vincent parted with this man about a week after he arrived at Midgar. He was a nice guy. He said he wanted to go back to the western continent. Not Wutai. Just the western continent, away from all the troubles. He wanted to settle down. Never heard from him again.

Vincent developed quite a reputation very quickly. He changed his name to Valentine. Ah, yes... that's where he got his last name from. The man with long blonde hair was called Valentine. Anyways... Vincent developed the reputation of a tough character. He was bitter about his parents deaths and how weak he was back then. His personality was as cold as ice. He once had an incident in a bar. A thug grabbed his wine right after he paid for it. He left three holes in his head, and drank it as if nothing happened. This sort of behavior attracted the attention of a rogue organization known as the Turks. Over the next decade, it would grow into one of Shinra's most powerful assets. To put it bluntly, they were spies. However, there was a lot of dirty work on the side.

Vincent quickly became ranked very high in the Turk organization and delved deeper into the sanctums of Shinra. For four years, he steadily built up his reputation as one of the deadliest men alive. However, he slowed down quite a bit in the four years after that. He met his lover, Lucrecia. However, such love was star crossed from the start. She was the only person he ever loved, yet at the same time, it could never work out.

Lucrecia and Hojo. A flash of light leading to deeply discomforting memories. Memories of pain, failure, and crying. He could still hear the crying of the boy she named Sephiroth.  
  
Lucrecia was a faithful wife to Hojo. Even though she truly loved Vincent, she could not leave Hojo. He was abusive, and yet... he promised her things. He told her they'd have a child. That they'd settle down and have a family. Ha, ha, ha. What a bunch of lies. What he truly wanted was to inject Jenova cells into an unborn child. He was using her... he used his wife! Yet she was too blinded by the false promises to see clearly.

Angered was an understatement when Lucrecia found out about the proposed injection. She didn't want to go through with it. She said she wanted to have a regular child. Vincent tried to convince her to leave with him, but she couldn't leave her husband. Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps... no, she couldn't possibly have loved that jerk. Hojo promised her that their child would be completely normal. The injection was to give him immunities to diseases. Ha... it would do much more than that. Another lie. So many promises.  
  
Nothing would ever change with Hojo. Everything was a lie. Weeks before the birth, Lucrecia had to accept that fact. She had to accept it and ask for help. Yet it was several months too late. Lucrecia was in no condition to run from anything. She asked Vincent to save Sephiroth. "Take him away, Vince. Raise him as our son... please..."  
  
Lucrecia's last request and Vincent couldn't grant it. He didn't care when people said it wasn't his fault. It was kind of like... Sephiroth needed results and not excuses. Excuses did nothing for him. Excuses and lies turned Sephiroth to insanity.  
  
Sephiroth was the one reason he could not just die. He still felt attached to this world because of him. Yet his only choice... hah... the choice he made was to kill him. Vincent was trash. He never tried to talk to his son. His last words were, "Now it is time for your nightmare to begin." Instead of... something to try and save Sephiroth.  
  
Now that everyone was dead, what really kept him attached to this world? What could keep him going? Why was he here...? Why did Vincent care about what happened to the Planet now that everyone that was important to he and Lucrecia were dead?  
  
Every few hours, he would think of suicide. Today was the day that Vincent was supposed to go back and fight Shinra. What would Cloud think if he found his body dead. He gripped the revolver again.  
  
"Why am I here anyways..." Vincent shakily held the gun that pointed to his face. Suicide... what would they think?  
  
"I'll be gone from this world anyways... their thoughts won't even matter! I hate this world... I've failed everyone I've ever loved..." Vincent dropped to his knees, water filling up in his eyes. It was pure torture trying to keep them in. Even alone, he tried to keep himself from crying. He didn't want to cry in his last moments.  
  
The gun... the trigger... he continued to shake it. All he had to do was pull the trigger and it would all be over. He'd have no more thoughts, no more feelings. He'd merely become part of lifestream. A flowing river of life, held together by the Planet's thoughts. If the others were angry or sad at him, he'd feel no guilt. All his sadness and remorse for his failure would... disappear.  
  
"One..." He shook the gun even faster, fearing the afterlife, but unable to escape the fact that being on this world would forever be painful. "Two..." The pain was unbearable. He couldn't take it any longer. The number three marked the removal of his guilt.  
  
There was nothing stopping him from it. This was the time to do it, if there was ever a time. And every man must die, therefor... there would have to be an eventual time of death. This was it. Even if Sephiroth wasn't his son as he had thought for so long... even if Hojo was his father... he still failed. He still could have saved Sephiroth. It did not matter if Hojo or he was the father... It was Lucrecia's son. There was no excuse... no room for excuses. There was only room for results. Vincent failed.  
  
"...." The number three. It was so hard to say it now. Three... why couldn't his mouth move to say it. His clothes were already red... the blood would merely blend in. Why was it so hard to just pull the trigger.  
  
So many memories flashed back. It was as if the memories were trying to save him, yet they only brought him torture. They were having the opposite effect. Vincent Valentine was being killed by his own mind. If he didn't do it now, he'd eventually go insane. "I... have... nothing... to...live for..."  
  
"TH-R----EE!!!!" His hand shakily pulled the trigger.

The sound of the shot blasted through the room.  
  
Vincent's eyes blurred, the ceiling above him was collapsing... Black spots slowly took up every part of his vision. The pain... he was bleeding at an uncontrollable rate. The blood poured out of his skin. The place where the bullet buried itself... held Vincent's last thoughts. Pain.  
  
Yet at the same time, the pain was taking him to a better place. Everything was black, and he started feeling numb. And finally, Vincent fell unconcious. The era of pain and guilt was over. Vincent Valentine was dead.

* * *

The voices of two could be heard in the darkness of space. One was full of evil joy and carelessness, while the other was serious, saying few words. It was infact so dark, no descriptions could be made of anything.  
  
The sound of laughter could be heard. "It looks like one of our enemies is...incapable of fighting at the moment. What do you think about that?" A glimpse of red hair could be seen.  
  
A deep, cold voice replied to the careless one. "It doesen't matter..."  
  
"Of course it does. That just makes things alot easier for us, does it not?" He sounded like a young boy, naive and thoughtless. He was just a shadow to the other voice.  
  
"The one you speak of does not matter." Cold and serious. There was no happiness in the voice at all. Like he had no soul. And yet, there was a soul... otherwise, he would have no energy to remain on this world.  
  
"He's one of the stronger fighters, you know." The boy tried to make a point to his apparent master, but to no avail.  
  
'"There were only two that I ever cared about. And they are both dead." It was also apparent that this person was very strong. He feared no one.  
  
"Why is it that you care about them? They died... that means they are weaker than the others." The naive boy spoke again. He still foolishly tried to make a point to his master.  
  
"They were the only ones capable of using High Materia." High Materia...  
  
"What is High Materia?" The boy had very little knowledge, as well. Although he knew quite a bit compared to most Cetra.  
  
"High Materia is Materia filled with Cetra lifeforce. Many Cetra sacrificed their lives making High Materia capable of battling the Calamity From the Skies. Yes, the Calamity from the Skies was a Jen. High Materia is made of stronger Mako than that which was used to cultivate the Planet. I'm not suprised you asked... but you should have looked it up after Meteor was called." He sighed. He needed more competent people to work with.  
  
"So... anyways... I guess I have some bad news."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I've detected the energy of a High Materia user walking the Planet again."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The one who summoned Meteor." Sephiroth. The man in the black cloak. The man with the "thirteen" tatoo. The world's strongest soldier.  
  
"He alone does not matter. Although he will eventually need to be taken care of." He truly feared no one.  
  
"So... should I send another Jen to take him out? Or should I do the honors myself? Hehe..."  
  
"I doubt someone with such feeble power could take him out. If you'd like to try, go ahead. I'd rather him enter the tournament and die there."  
  
"What tournament?" The boy asked in curiosity.  
  
"You are dismissed."  
  
"I will go dispose of the High Materia user. I'm quite a bit stronger than I let you know, Master." Pop. His energy traces disappeared from the room.  
  
"Few can hide their energy from me. The caller of Meteor is stronger." He let out a short chuckle. "I have much bigger plans for you, my friend..."  
  
Another presence entered the room.  
  
"Certainly you do not plan to let Nasami try to kill Sephiroth." An evil laughter could be heard, with much more confidence than the boys laughter. This one was truly a fierce warrior.  
  
"Nasami is indeed wreckless. Too wreckless to remain in my service. I see it a fitting death. He will die trying to please me. Haha... as if I'd reward him for something that could be done so easily by myself."  
  
"That is what I thought. Yet, you know he has a chance. What if he somehow wins?" Light started to fill the room on the side of the new stranger.  
  
"Please keep the light away from me. And if he wins, I will kill him." The darkness stayed on the side of the Master.  
  
"Are you afraid the light will burn you?" The stranger could finally be described. He had light blue hair reaching down to his shoulders. Thin and wavy. His attire was all light blue. In fact, his skin was the same as well. A katana could be seen in his hand with a glint of blood at the tip. If he was human, he'd be in his mid-twenties.  
  
"..." No response.  
  
"You know, I think I have a better idea. Why don't I kill Nasami next time I see him?" He cackled gleefully. A pleasurable kill, no doubt.  
  
"His life has no meaning to me. Do what you will." Pop. The stranger disappeared just like that.

* * *

Sephiroth neared Mount Nibel. It was there that he died for the first time to Cloud Strife. And beyond that... was the key to his insanity. The Jenova Project and the burning flames of Nibelheim were just over that mountain. Ah, yes, the tragedy of Nibelheim.

Back then... after Sephiroth discovered what he really was. He was produced by Professor Gast. Not born. Or was he...? What he did really know about who he was? Everyone always told him that Jenova was his mother. Could such a thing give birth to him? Who would be the husband of that creature? It made no sense. Would he not look a beast just like her if she was truly his mother? None of it made any sense.

After he discovered the artificially produced humans, Sephiroth retreated into the depths of the Nibelheim library in the Shinra Mansion. He studied the reports. He could faintly remember what he said that day.

"...an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova... X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient ...X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova Project approved. The use of Mako Reactor I approved for use... My mother's name is Jenova... Jenova Project... Is this just a coincidence? Professor Gast... Why didn't you tell me anything? ...Why did you die?" Sephiroth laughed at the irony of his life, and continued to read. For days. There was not a single instance in which the lights in that library went out.  
  
Several days later, he came to a conclusion. There is no doubt that the poisons of Jenova had reached out into his mind at this point. At this time, Sephiroth was undeniably influenced and no longer completely responsible for his actions. A spiky haired kid came to check on him. Annoying kid. He was dressed in the standard blue Shinra uniform, but lacked the helmet. Silly fools. They wasted their time bothering him. "Ha, ha, ha...... Who is it!? Hmph... traitor." His voice was cool and raspy.

The soldier looked baffled. "Traitor?"

Sephiroth laughed coldly again. "You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on... At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors." Sephiroth unsheathed his Masamune and sliced the table in half, laughing louder than before. His voice was no longer cool, but full of malice and fury. It was distinct change worth noting.

"Sephiroth..." The soldier was stunned with fear.

"Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports."

"What does that have to do with you?..." Completely shocking. The once calm, cool, collected soldier... totally shocking.

Sephiroth glared at him with vigor. "Don't you get it!? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients...... no, the Cetra! ...I am the one that was produced." His voice calmed down now. It was back to normal. Cool and raspy.

"Pr...produced!?" Was it possible to produce human beings? Could people be "created'?

"Yes. Professor Gast, leader of the Jenova Project and genius scientist, produced me." He laughed harshly.

"How...how did he...? Se...Sephiroth?" He stared in disbelief.

"Out of my way. I'm going to see my mother." There was a strange look in his eyes. It was as if he was disconnected from reality. This was the beginning of the tragedy. Ironic, however, was the fact that no one ever knew about it. It was covered up. A malfunction in the Mako reactor. Shinra was good at covering up things like that. However, reguardless of who knew about it, it was one of the most horrible atrocities ever known. Innocent people, kids, men, women, there was no prejudice to those that Sephiroth killed.

You could hear the fire crackling from miles away. The entire town was being burned to ashes. Not a single home was left unscathed by this disaster. Everything was just... burning... so horrible. Sephiroth stood in the middle of the town laughing. "Traitors! Ha, ha, ha! You shall all repent for the sins of your pathetic ancestors!" He thrusted his sword through an old man's body, lifted it up, and threw it with such force that the poor man's body was smashed into the raging fire. One by one, he killed every person that he could see.

Sephiroth slaughtered innocents without remorse. Another slash. The child was disemboweled. He grinned, and thrusted forth into a pregnant woman. "Every death repents another sin. Yet you must all die before the sin is completely repented for!" He had become a maniac killer. Crackle. The screams of the poor people being murdered senselessly could barely be heard over the crackling of fire. The village burned... burned to ashes.

Sephiroth turned his back to the flames with a grin of true malice. He no longer felt emotions or pain. He would purge the Planet of such traitors. Yet he musn't keep Mother waiting. Sephiroth began walking towards the reactor where Jenova was supposedly sealed.

Sephiroth walked across the steel pipe bridge that would lead him to Jenova. Yet a foolish man stood in his way.

"How could you do this to our town, you bastard? Have you no remorse?"

Sephiroth shrugged his shoulders. "I won't ask you to move." He was immediately impaled by the force of Sephiroth's mighty blade. Sephiroth walked right by the corpse, leaving the Masamune to lie in the wound. He would get it later. Ah, the crimson staircase! He walked up the stairs as his cloak steadily waved behind him. So close, so close!

"Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door." Locked. Sealed. She would open it soon.

"How could you do that to papa and all the townspeople?" It was the guide. The moronic girl was carrying his blade. Silly girl. He would kill her too. "Fuck you!" Tifa ran up the stairs and with all her energy and might, slashed the mighty blade at Sephiroth. Yet it was not enough. He snatched the sword right out of her hands and laughed. What a moronic girl. Didn't even know how to hold it.

"Because..." His eyes flashed a darker shade of green. "I hate them." He slashed Tifa across the chest and the strength of it threw her all the way down the stairs. Most likely fatal. Most definitely. He grinned as the door magically unsealed itself.

"Stop!!" Another moron. Why was everyone trying to stop him? Ha, ha. It mattered not! Just another person to slaughter. He turned around grinning.

"It all ends here, Sephiroth. I will kill you. Do you not see what a plague you have become?" Black hair. Soldier... he was the soldier who originally accompanied him to the reactor.

"Traitor." The kid ran up to him, just like Tifa. And just like Tifa, he slashed him with great force and he fell down the stairs with a similar fate to the guide.

"I am here, Mother dear."

"Mother, let's take this planet back together. I've thought of a great idea. Let's go to the Promised Land." Supreme happiness... to take back what was his! But... someone was there. Who disturbed him at his moment of triumph? Who would dare!?

"Sephiroth... My family! My hometown! How could you do this to them!?" The damn traitor! That pathetic little soldier... his bones would litter the floor soon enough.

"Ha, ha, ha...... They've come again, mother. With her superior power, knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet." He looked up at the mechanical recreation of Jenova, his Mother. Ha, ha. What a silly machine to keep her trapped. He would rip it apart and free her.

"But they... Those worthless creatures are stealing the planet from Mother But now I'm here with you so don't worry." He grabbed the upper part of her armor and lifted it up off her. Blood spewed onto Sephiroth's black cloak, he did not care. You could see her now... Jenova. Her skin was blue from being frozen for many years. She was a fragile, alien looking woman. So fragile... her body parts were like a normal human beings, but they were distorted and unproportional. It was strange.

The air was uneasy. The boy... Cloud, was it? Yes, Cloud. Little Cloud drew a sword against Sephiroth! "What about MY sadness!? My family... friends... The sadness of having my hometown taken away from me!? It's the same as your sadness!"

Fool. "Ha, ha, ha... my sadness? What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet. I have orders to take this planet back from you stupid people for the Cetra. What am I supposed to be sad about?"

"Sephiroth... I trusted you... No, you're not the Sephiroth I used to know!" Cloud assumed a battle stance, ready to fight Sephiroth. He was far too weak to even hope to overcome Sephiroth. What... what a fool.

"Die, miserable wretch!" Sephiroth slashed him aside with his monolith Masamune. "You plan to kill me, yet you cannot lay a single blade on me? Insignificant fool. Ha, ha, ha. Let us go, Mother! Let us seek the Promised Land." He ripped her head off. He... ripped... her... head... off... With his left arm, he held her head in his hand. Blue skin, disproportionate eyes, and a huge red stone glared out of her. Yet she did not bleed. In his right, he carried his great blade.

"Mother, I will help you regenerate soon. For now... to the Temple of the Ancients? Yes... yes... I will." He continued walking down through the pod room, down the crimson stairs, across the pipe that lead to the exit. But... No, no one would just leave him alone. They all wanted to die, apparently. Yes, he would kill them all.

"Sephiroth!!" Cloud.

...Sephiroth didn't waste his breath on anymore words. He immediately stabbed Cloud deep into his chest. "Don't... push... your luck..."

Yet Cloud didn't die. Sephiroth missed. Cloud was holding the blade with his bare hands. They were bleeding deeply, but the pain didn't matter to him anymore. "You... this is your retribution!"

"...It can't be!" Sephiroth was being lifted into the air by his own sword. No... this was... the end...

Sephiroth was thrown into the reactor... into the Mako. No one... no one could have survived that fall into pure Mako.

X Day, X Month, X Year: Sephiroth dies in reactor accident. Little or no damage to the town. No deaths aside from Sephiroth.

* * *

Sephiroth passed through Rocket Town easily enough. He was thought to be merely a wanderer. He had to give most of the credit to his black cloak. Because he went unnoticed, he found out some interesting things.  
  
He had seen the Highwind leaving East. There could have only been one reason for that. They were regrouping to fight Shinra. He did not know why it went East, though. Southeast would have been the quickest route. Heading to Cosmos Canyon, and then East seemed much more logical to him. Then again, Sephiroth was a psychopath...  
  
Sephiroth was not wounded at all in his travels. The monsters stayed away from him. It was a very tiring journey, however. He needed more rest before he could navigate Mount Nibel. Physically and more importantly, mentally. The memories of the first time he came in contact with Jenova were powerful.  
  
The first time he fought Cloud Strife.  
  
And lost.  
  
Quickly, Sephiroth headed to the forest right next to the entrance of Mount Nibel. It was there that he burned a small portion of the forest to scare any monsters away and give him some warmth during the cold night. He slept once again, but like the many nights before, he had dreams of painful memories.  
  
Tomorrow was a big day.


	6. Control

The mako reactor still stood as tall as ever. It's toll on the planet was inconceivable by man. No one could imagine how much spirit energy it had stolen. Shinra was too naive to understand its destruction of the world.

"I am almost to Nibelheim... And yet I cannot just overlook the place where I was born and died six years ago. Hah hah hah... I'm like a child; foolish and naive. This place brings only pain and insanity." Sephiroth, clad in his usual black garments, walked up the stairs. With each one a clinking sound could be heard. His boots were almost completely metal, and most certainly uncomfortable. Yet it was the only pair he would wear. And his black cloak... that and his silver hair were the marks feared by millions around the world.

The door wouldn't open. "Heh..." Sephiroth took his gauntlet-covered fist and smashed it into the door. The door surrendered with ease. Inside were thin bars, used to get to the inner core. And below them was a pit of extremely poisonous mako. That... is where he died. Further inside would be where he was born.

The metal pipes were solidly placed and he easily walked across them. He killed a man here. Reliving a nightmare... Almost there. Just keep going.

Pods and stairs filled the room. Pods that were once filled with monsters. And then the stairs that were still stained with blood, an eternal reminder of the enraged teenage girl. The pods were a reminder that Sephiroth would never forget... that he was an experiment. "Hojo! Damn you... You pathetic deformed man... you were nothing more than a mediocre scientist, taking over the work of perhaps the most brilliant man of our time. Pray that you never see me again."

Hojo had always been cruel to Sephiroth when he was a boy. After Sephiroth became a young war hero, however, Hojo started to fear him. It was laughable. He was such a coward. He experimented on things and then ran away if they didn't like his cruel methods of study. What did he expect, complete cooperation with such hatred?

Haha. Finally he arrived to his destination. The sealed door. Open the door, Mother, Sephiroth said six years ago. Six years later, he opened it himself with the crushing blow of his gauntlet. Yes, finally....

Sephiroth entered, finding the blood of Jenova still here. As well as his own and Cloud Strife's. Jenova was no longer here... nothing was here anymore. What had he really expected to find here, anyway? It was of the past. Sephiroth had wasted too much time in this desolate place already. He turned to leave this place behind once more.

"Don't go."

"...." Silence.

A womans voice. Someone was here? Why would anyone be here... perhaps he was being followed? Not likely...

"Who's there?" Silence still surrounded the room.

"Lost you are, little one. Guidance is the key. You must honor your late father soon." The womans voice again. It was so soft and sweet. Heavenly, almost.

"My late father? How can I honor someone I do not even know....wait... Haha, how would you even know my father?" Sephiroth laughed coldly. This person defintely knew he was at least. Then again, didn't everyone know about the great Sephiroth... parentless from birth.

"I am the Great Sephiroth." He sliced his sword through the air. A cut that would have left any normal man dead. "I have no father." He sliced through the air again, even harder. "And I must know who you are to speak of such things!" He couldn't even see her...

"Put your toy away, young one. You will find out in soon time. First, however, you must let go of Jenova. There will come a time when your loyalties will be stretched once again. Know that your heritage comes from the true heirs of the Planet. It comes from no one else." The voice whispered these words into his confused mind, and disappeared.

"Who are you? WHO ARE YOU!? Answer me.... who are you to follow me around?" Sephiroth yelled in anger while his body reacted with destructive force. The very walls of the reactor shook. "Who are you to speak of such things?"

There was a long silence after Sephiroth's words echoed throughout the reactor. There was nothing. She was gone. Perhaps she was a ghost or an angel. No, there was no such thing as angels. Not real ones anyways... except... he had that wing right before he died. The wing of a fallen angel. What did that mean? Nevermind that! Who was this foul woman?

"My father is dead... and I don't even know him.... hah hah hah... what makes you think that he would matter to me? Ignorant fool." Sephiroth sheathed his sword once more, and left the reactor. Her words still floated in his mind. Know that your heritage comes from the true heirs of the Planet.... honor your late father...

Still, it mattered not. He had to get to Nibelheim. In his heart, he knew all the answers were there. The books... he had to reread them! In them were the answers. If not there, then... Midgar. Although he had no idea of what condition that town might be in; that was the back up plan. His ancestry was more important than ever... wait...

Then why laugh at the girl? She knew who his father was? Perhaps he should hope their paths should meet again. Clink, clink, clink. Metal pipes stained with blood. The mako pit below it... haunting...

What did he really want, anyways? To find out what Jenova really was, or his ancestry? Wasn't his father just as important as his mother... how could he alone make such a judgement? He had to speak to that woman again. Yet... how could he possibly find her?

Were Sephiroth's parents really were ancients? What was Jenova... ahahaha. She really had gotten him in the head. Now his thoughts were clear, though. Jenova was an alien, not an heir to the Planet.

Two thousand years ago, Jenova, the Calamity from the Skies, crashed into the Planet. She came as a Goddess, and everyone around the Planet praised her as the such! She was to bring the world supreme happiness... for she was the Original Cetra. Yet that was all a lie when she revealed her true self nearly four years later.

* * *

"Mistress Jen, you have promised us prosperity. Yet, all we have seen since your coming is destruction. The land that we, the Cetra, worked so hard to cultivate, bleeds from your touch. You are no Cetra." The woman's bright green eyes pierced the cold air with burning vengeance. She wore a light, white robe with long, beautiful brown hair going down to her ankles.

"How very perceptive of you, Mistress Luna. However, I would like to know..." Her lips curled as blood began dripping from her mouth. "What are you going to do..." She began laughing with insanity. "What are you going to do... ha ha ha! ...How shall you stop me?" Her smile was as wicked as a demons.

"Not I, but the Cetra. We realize you cannot be killed by mortal means. However..." There was still a look of laughter and evil upon Jenova's snow white face, the blood slowly dripping from her lushious lips. Luna's look was colder. Determination, yet at the same time, pure hatred. "We, the Cetra, wield of the powers of the Planet itself. And thus, the Planet has allowed us to create and wield such a force to destroy you."

"And what force would that be, little human witch?" Jenova stood up from her grand throne now, the ice around her crackling from the sudden movement. "What force can such a feeble race produce?" Jenova chuckled at her prey. There was nothing that could stop her.

"Three pieces of godlike materia. Black, White, and Crimson."

Jenova's smirk disappeared. She could feel the power... the strength... of the entire Planet. It was forged to destroy... her? No, it wasn't possible. "You misunderstand, little girl. I am a Goddess. I came here to purge the land of the Cetra. You are a failed experiment. I'm so sorry to disappoint you. I sent you here to cultivate the Planet for war, not prosperity. You failed. This world is failed. A little failure cannot stop me." Jenova smirked.

Two shining lights filled the room. It was brilliant yet blinding. "You've arrived."

"Yes, Mistress Luna." A girl with raven black hair curling down to her shoulders stood tall and proud appeared out of the light. She wore a leather cuirass like a hunter, yet she had no weapon except for a little black ball.

Another girl began to come out as well. Her hair was as white as snow; beautiful long strands came down to her ankles. She also wore a leather cuirass; all she held in her hands was a small white ball.

"Yuna and Setsuna, I'm glad you've come. She is indeed what we expected." Luna nodded swiftly.

"You have no idea of what you're up against, children." Jenova curled her bloody lips.

"The Planet has asked us to destroy you. And so we shall." In Luna's hand was a small, shining red ball. It was blood red, to be exact. Crimson.

"Ha, ha, ha. What a silly little girl." Luna was still calm. "You realize that your precious Planet's defense will soon be used against it? Give it to me, girl."

"Why would I do that, witch? No, you shall die here and today."

"Perhaps I didn't say it loudly enough?" Jenova grinned and licked her lips clean of blood. "You have no choice but to give it to me. You want to give it to me. It will ease your pain." Slowly, Luna began to walk toward Jenova with no will power.

"I... No... I will never give it to you!" Luna screamed with resistance yet her body kept moving. She couldn't stop. She had absolutely no control. She wanted to give it to Jenova, and yet she didn't. How could you resist a temptation that powerful? She kept walking with her hand out.

Setsuna made a plethora of hand movements and the white ball in her hand began to shine. "REMEDIUM!" A brilliant flash of light filled the room and Luna stopped walking.

"My head is clear... I can see again. Thank you, Setsuna."

Jenova growled. She almost had Crimson, the Ultimate Binding Magic. No, she could not possibly beat all three by herself. The girls themselves were weak and prone to her power, but together with the materia forged by the Planet, even she had no solid ground to stand upon. Her magic was not strong enough to fight against theres. However...

Jenova grimaced. "The Ultimate Protection, Destruction, and Binding Magics against myself. It sounds a little one sided, doesn't it?"

"It's over, witch. You lose." Yuna smirked.

"Sanguis Statim." Luna made several swift movements with her hands and blood swam out of the air, locking itself around Jenova. It wrapped around her like a snake, slithering with squeaming crimson liquid.

Jenova's screams could be heard throughout the world. "You little whores! You really are clever, aren't you, sluts?" She licked her lips again as the blood curled around her body. Her screams slowly turned into laughs. "Is it really me who has lost, or is it you? Destroy me! Go ahead! Yuna, show your sisters how strong you are. Hahahaha!" Her laugh was a demonic hybrid of the screams of a thousand slaughtered pigs and that of a baby crying from incomprehensible pain. Her true evil self was shown. "But you can't, because you are weak! You can never destroy me! I will haunt, hahaha, your ancestors for eternity!"

"I am the world's strongest." Yuna spit on Jenova's face and it quickly dissolved into the gallons of blood engulfing her. "I will gladly destroy you."

Yuna began making a sequence of hand signals similar to that of her sisters. "NO! Stop it. We have her trapped. That must not be used except it emergency!"

"Listen to Setsuna! Stop it right NOW! We face the destruction of the entire Planet... what the hell are you doing?" Luna began running towards her, realizing that her words were in vain.

"Destructo Meteora!" It was done.

Luna stopped running. Everything was silent except Jenova's laughter. It got louder and louder.

"Yes, destroy me, you little slut! Hahahaha.... yes... summon Meteor... purge this failure of a world, tramp. You've done perfectly!" Her demonic laugh could have echoed to the moon and back. It was true... evil. "The intent of the Original Cetra is complete."

"...You are no Cetra. Begone into the seal for eternity to think of your sins." The blood fastened around Jenova even tighter like a bubble, completely surrounding her. Yet she still grinned.

"You cannot stop the Meteor, for it is not the Planet that allowed you to create such a force, but an even higher power greater than the fairy tale of God! Bow down... SLUT... bow down to the destruc-" The blood filled her mouth and she was rendered incapable of movement.

Luna looked towards the sky as Jenova became silent. There it was. The true calamity. Meteor. It might prove to be an even bigger enemy than Jenova herself. How would she tell the people at Knowlespole how she had failed to stop Jenova from destroying their land? The land they cultivated...

Clink. The Black materia dropped to the ground. "This must never be used again... I'm sorry." Tears filled Yuna's eyes. "I failed."

Jenova's powers of the mind were legendary.

* * *

The rock was later discovered by Professor Ghast. He was perhaps one of the greatest scientists in the world. It was discovered where Sephiroth was now... Mount Nibel. At that point, he believed that she was an Ancient. Yes, everything was coming back to him now...

"This... this isn't in any text book. How do I know these things... I... I know the entire Planet's history..." Sephiroth gasped at the knowledge he now knew. Yet he couldn't be distracted by his accumulated knowledge. He had to remember further...

At the time, Professor Ghast believed her to be an Ancient because of her age. She was infact an alien with extraordinarily powerful cells. Shinra was interested in his research and the power that this artifact held. That he knew from the books... the other things, though... how had he known of the Cetra from Knowlespole? Can't remember...

Anyways... Ghast and Hojo experimented with Jenova with interesting results. The cells had the opposite effect on full-grown humans. The bodies immune system was too powerful for them to take control of so easily. When it resisted, the cells fought back. They altered the human body forever. They were considered a threat and destroyed before they could become part of the body. So the scientists tried injecting them into an unborn child, where the body would not be able to fight back. This child was eventually named Sephiroth.

Sephiroth was the Jenova Project's final product. He was a monster created by Shinra's greed. He was the ultimate soldier. Treated poorly with little emotion, he became a cold killer with power beyond normal conception.

That is what made Sephiroth go crazy six years ago. That is what led him to Jenova. All his life he was told that Jenova was his mother. He did not know who Jenova was... not until that day! The day he woke up. And the day he lost his sense of reality... And...

"I was not the first to be tricked into summoning Meteor... and... it wasn't the first time it was stopped either. Yet Jenova was angry... she was angry at them because the summoner was not strong enough to wield the full power of the Ultimate Destruction Magic."

That day he reguarded humans as traitors. They abandoned the Cetra when the great tragedy occured! Yet he himself was blinded by Jenova's shielding light. She was the cause of the tragedy. Sephiroth was blind the entire time.

That reminded him. His psychic control over clones tended to make him forget who he really was. For five entire years he was in the Northern Crater. With Jenova's psychic abilities, he was able to focus his powers and live through the clones. Any living thing that had Jenova cells in it, he could control. Anything across the entire Planet!

Yea... he was powerful back then. His psychic control was weaker, now. Jenova was so much stronger than him... she was so powerful. In his veins still coursed the power to recognize other carriers of Jenova cells. However... he had no control. He was pathetically weak now... no... he was far stronger than any other man on the Planet. Yet weaker than he once was. Jenova gave him power and strength beyond human understanding.

Finally, he made it out of the reactor. Sephiroth was a very short distance away from Nibelheim. The answers were so close. Once again, he had to ask himself what he would do when he found his answers.

Sephiroth had to retain his sanity. He would not be controlled again! Never again... would he go back and try to destroy the Planet once more? No. The Planet saved his life. He should've died down there... somehow, the Planet brought him back to the City of the Ancients.

Perhaps he could live a normal life? Haha. That would never be possible. He summoned Meteor and killed too many people to ever live peacefully. It was too late for him to start over. The only thing consistent about the future was its uncertainty.

Mountains, mountains, mountains. They were like a freezing hell. So many drastic things happened there. Jenova was discovered there, Sephiroth died there, Hojo left his experiments there, a Mako reactor was built there. They were all related to Shinra.

Shinra... what really happened to Shinra after he killed the President? It mattered not back then, but now it did. They controlled the world with soldier and mako. A world that he was going to live in once again.

Little did Sephiroth know, that same question floated in the minds of Avalanche.

It had actually been six years since he had been outside of the Northern Crater. In this body, anyways... He controlled Cloud Strife and gained the Black Materia easily. It was so simple with his psychic abilities.

The Black Materia was truly the strangest substance in the world. All Materia came from the Planet's spirit energy. How could the Planet produce something that could destroy itself? This thought brought him to the conclusion that along with Jenova, the Black Materia was also alien. The Cetra brought themselves to protect it at all costs... yet there was no way the Black Materia was forged by the Planet. It had to be a trick. Jenova... he remembered! She gave Yuna the Black Materia.

Jenova tricked Yuna. Everything was becoming clear. The White and Crimson Materia's were created to protect the Planet, but the Black was Jenova's personal creation. Yuna... he played off her jealousy of her sisters. He played off her emotions. Yuna was always second to her sisters, yet when she was given the Ultimate Destruction Magic, she became number one. Just like he played off his mind.

Inscribed on the walls of the Temple of the Ancients was the murals which showed the result of the Black Materia. It was forged to destroy worlds. The Cetra knew this, and now so did he. Why was he trying to destroy the world? Because...

Jenova said he could open the gates to the Promised Land by destroying the Planet. For the Planet hid the gates from him. That was a lie! If Meteor was succesful, he would have died. In a way... Cloud Strife saved his life. If Meteor had been succesful, he would be gone and the Planet would not have been able to be ressurected. Although he still did not know why the Planet gave him the liberty of rebirth.

It was the only materia that he never mastered. He tried... ten times... to get the ritual right. Jenova was displeaed. In the end, he wasn't strong enough to summon the true magic of the Black Materia.

Where was it? No... He was holding it as the One Winged Angel, not as Sephiroth. So its place was unknown.

Sephiroth no obligation to get it back. Not yet... If it still existed, that is. And it should, for an artifact that powerful is not easily destroyed. There was no need to destroy the Planet. To become a God was not his interest. His true interest was to find out who he was. And after that... he really didn't know.

Then there was Aeris. The one girl that was so nice to him. She was also extremely powerful. Stronger than anyone really knew... she had the power to command to lifestream. That alone made her the most powerful being known to man. Perhaps even stronger than Sephiroth. She alone could control the Planet's lifeforce. She stopped Meteor. He felt it while his conciousness was floating in lifestream. He knew what she was doing. She summoned a force from the Planet ultimately stronger than what he could command. She was stronger.

Aeris had the type of power that he wanted. How funny that she did not care about that kind of power, only wanting to protect the Planet, and nothing more.

All these thoughts and memories were so complicated. Sephiroth was lost in a world of thought once again. He had been travelling for hours just thinking again... it was really time to rest. Tomorrow, he would arrive at Nibelheim.

Sephiroth was currently in the valley between Mount Nibel and Nibelheim. He was an hour or two away from the mansion. So close... yet he couldn't risk being tired when he got there. The things that awaited him in the civilized world could be far more dangerous than Shiro.

What did that girl mean when she said his limits would be stretched again?


	7. Fly

Sephiroth glided down the spiral staircase. His old powers were returning. He was getting stronger... now...it was different. Now his thoughts were his own, and he had all the abilities that Jenova gave him. The ability to fly... the ability to psychically control those with Jenova cells that were weaker than himself.

If he had to journey farther, the time would be significantly reduced. He no longer needed boats to travel over the oceans. He was a god among men. Everything he ever learned from Jenova had returned to him. It was amazing. Whatever caused the reaction... it was in his favor, at least.

The library... the lights were still on, as if he had been here yesterday. They were always on... the books that he had read were still thrown across the room. The answers he seeked were there. He was so close. Professor Ghast's book would tell him where to go next.

And yet, once again, he felt called away from this mission. His personal mission had to be set aside once again for a yearning of curiosity, a weakness that could not be overlooked. What is it... damnit... he just couldn't ignore it. A green light emitted from inside. Curiosity... he couldn't just turn his back.

One step at a time, he walked to the door. Flash. The last time he was here, this door was locked. Perhaps it was destiny that Sephiroth had arrived here now. Perhaps it was meant to be. Yet he no longer was a strong believer in faith... so many times the world turned its back on him... and it saved his life too... life is funny like that, sometimes.

Sephiroth's hand was on the hilt of the Masamune, ready to fight at any given moment. He entered the room with a great anxiety. His eyes were open with preparation. He would never be taken offguard again.

"Remember my words." Sephiroth took a few steps back. This could not be. Here, a man that was one of his most powerful enemies... was dead. The blood had dried across his face. He wore a red cloak over a black attire. This man tried to kill him. Vincent.

"No... this... is my heritage?" Sephiroth was shocked for a moment, but then his expression changed. "Hah, hah, hah. You make me laugh, ghost. I know well that my father abandoned me at my birth. He was a pathetic coward. My mother... I suspect Shinra had something to do with that. Do not feed me things that I do not care about. This man holds no sentimental value."

"Your father is a true heir to the Planet. He has attempted to save it many, many times... and as a result, he lost his own life. His responsibilities are now yours. You cannot begin to understand that responsibility until you wake up and realize his deeds to you, Sephiroth. He died..." A finger came out of the eery green light. "Because of you."

"How could I have possibly killed him? It was the other way around, just in case you weren't there, idiot." Sephiroth slashed his sword through the air. "Answer me, ghost. Who was my mother? I don't care about my father."

"You should. You wouldn't be here if it were not for him."

"You fool... did I not just tell you that he abandoned me? He does not matter to me. He is not a part of my life. It was because of him that I am... this monster! I only want to know who my mother was! Tell me, or I swear this whole mansion is going to go up in smoke."

"You cannot begin to comprehend your mother until you understand the significance of your father's life, child. Grow up." The green light disappeared from view, and Sephiroth was left alone with his father.

The nerve... telling him to grow up... his maturity was beyond any mans... he understood the Planet. He knew how everything worked. How could he be told to grow up? It made no sense. But... it did seem childish... he was given new life for what purpose? Revenge? The Planet was not that stupid... there had to be another reason.... urgh!

"Stop running away form me you stupid BITCH! What the hell is all this significance you speak of? Tell me something... fucking hell...." Sephiroth dropped to his knees. Useless. She was gone. He still knew nothing. Those silly books couldn't tell him anything. He was doomed to ignorance.

Sephiroth closed his eyes and thought about her words for a long time. Grow up... no one had ever told him to grow up before. He was still a child... she was right. He hadn't moved on. Sephiroth was right now the same as he was when he was six years old. Grow up...

For the first time Sephiroth began to see it. He was so foolish... he'd wasted his past life... and this one was to be wasted too. On revenge... finding out who his mother was? What difference did it make, really? What would he do after that... why was he reborn? Why didn't he just die? Right about then, he wished he hadn't come back.

Sephiroth slowly opened his eyes, looking at the body once more. That was his father. Not like he cared, right? But maybe he did... maybe... maybe he felt more than he truly knew. It didn't really matter. Vincent was dead too, now. The only thought left for him was... why didn't he die?

"No!" Sephiroth stood up in anger, not sure whether he was the one who said no or someone else. No, it was definitely him. Talking to himself again... childish. Who really cared, though.

"So this is my father, a victim of suicide." Sephiroth looked at the body coldly, yet with strange new sensations. This was his father. The one he never knew...? What did the spirit know? How could he trust her?

_Because you know she's right._

Sephiroth felt the scar of loss. The loss of a father he never knew, the loss of a mother he never knew, the loss of a life that he never knew. Everything felt so empty now that he had come to Nibelheim. He thought he could read the books to understand what Jenova really was, and perhaps find out who his parents were. But now he knew the answers were not in Nibelheim nor anywhere else.

"Father... what is my destiny? Where are the answers I seek!? What... WHAT AM I? A sin? A scourge upon the Planet? Or am I something more than that? What am I? Why was I... created? Why did the Planet save me... why does anyone care enough to save me, a scourge of destruction... what am I... who... what is this place!?" Sephiroth was breaking down, his gauntlet smashed into the cold concrete below. His entire bodied was shaken as he barely held it above the ground.

"So many questions... never any answers... never any answers at all!" A tear dropped out of his eye, but it only made him angry. At once he used all his strength to hold back the tears. Men must never cry...

"Dammit... how am I supposed to know what to do when all I know is what Jenova told me to do?" Sephiroth stood up again, facing the door. This place held no answers. Where to go next? Midgar was originally the next step... but it didn't really matter. Not now. Whatever the reason for his survival... it was much bigger than Midgar or Nibelheim.

Sephiroth took a few steps to the door, and then looked back at the body again. "Goodbye, Vincent. Your deeds of valor shall be remembered. You were... a good fighter." Sephiroth left the room without looking back this time.

Sephiroth walked towards the library for no reason. He knew there were no answers there... but that is what he came all this way for. Might as well give it a look... He came here to find out who his parent's were. Yet the ghost made him realize that the truth was not here. His father was dead. His mother was not here. What did it matter what Jenova was? He already knew! The second he left the reactor, he knew. He remembered. The Planet spoke to him.

Sephiroth looked at his hands, covered with dusted iron gauntlets. He looked at them oddly with curiosity. "Am I Cetra? Is the Planet speaking to me? ...no. I am not a Cetra. I am an alien. Yet, I've never heard these voices before. I've never been able to fly without Jenova. What's happening to me?" Crack. Huh? Nevermind the Cetra!

"...." Footsteps. Sephiroth at once unsheathed the Masamune. Who would be down here? It was filled with monsters now. No innocent fool would come to this place. Curiosity was high, and Sephiroth walked towards the voices slowly and cautiously.

"Who's there?" Sephiroth said loudly, yet not yelling.

"Seph... Seph... Sephiroth?"

"Sephiroth... is alive?"

"That can't be him. Fuckin' hell! Real funny, dressing up as Sephiroth, kiddo."

Cloud Strife, Barret, and Cid... all there... probably looking for Vincent. Too bad Vincent was dead. Too late... the last thing Sephiroth needed to do now was meet these pricks. "Get out of my way," he said coolly. He already met them... already... why now?

"No. That's him. Look at the tattoo. Number one. The sword. No one but Sephiroth can use that sword." Cloud smirked, wielding his huge blade. It was the thicker than a tree, yet most of it was ethereal. Only the middle of the sword was actually solid. Light weight. It could cut bones and pierce the soul. 

"Real slick, Cloud Strife. I see you've become a detective in my absence." Sephiroth laughed half-heartedly and took a few more steps forward. "I really don't care for conflict. Please move."

Cloud looked different than he did a year ago. Real different. Yeah, his hair was still blonde, short, and spiky. Yet... maybe it was his choice of fashion? That was definitely it. He didn't wear that silly purple armor anymore. He seemed to like shiny things quite a bit more. He now wore a shiny metal plate with a black tint to it. Light weight, of course, but still quite a bit heavier than a typical Shinra outfit. "What are you doing here, Sephiroth?"

"I could ask the same of you," Sephiroth snapped back.

"Hah... I'll humor you, then. We came seeking Vincent, since he didn't come when we got here. However, it seems we found the reason that he didn't come right here. What did you do to him?"

Sephiroth's face looked a bit sad, yet he looked straight into Cloud's eyes with death. "I did nothing to him. It seems he committed suicide. Now, I will not ask again. Please move."

"Very convenient. Suicide! I should believe that... you disgrace his memory. Do you know how much he suffered because of you? He spent thirty years in a coffin because he tried to save YOU! All you can do to repay him... is kill him while he is defenseless..." Cloud spit at the ground. "I'm going to cut you into so many pieces that you'll never be able to come back, fateless coward." Cloud quickly switched into a battle position, holding his huge blade in front of him.

"It seems I cannot avoid bloodshed today. Believe what you will, Cloud Strife." Sephiroth pointed his long blade at Cloud. The Masamune was known for its long reach and sharpness. Mostly, however, it was known for being unwieldable... except by Sephiroth.

"Die..." Cloud lunged forth at Sephiroth, only to slice air.

"You've got to be quicker than that, Cloud Strife. You see, I'm new and improved." Sephiroth teleported again right above Cloud, striking downwards for a powerful blow. Cloud dodged to the left just in time, yet another slash came across his chest. Too slow...

Again, Sephiroth flipped and teleported next to Cloud. He smirked, sweeping Cloud off his feet. Cloud couldn't even keep up with him. He had no chance of attacking. Cid and Barret could only watch. The hallway wasn't large enough for a large scale battle. They continued watching, ready to fight only in emergency. It seemed that the emergency was getting closer, though.

Cloud stood up again, slicing his powerful blade at the afterimage of Sephiroth. Again, he was gone. No, he wouldn't let Sephiroth pull that trick again. He was ready.

The moment Sephiroth teleported near Cloud, he immediately slashed at him. Parried... Disappeared again. Cloud once again tried to focus- too late. The Masamune ripped right through Cloud's worn armor, causing another deep cut in his chest.

"God... that fucking thing can cut through anythin-" Cloud held his chest as Sephiroth stood at the end of the hallway, right next to the library.

"Cloud Strife, you have grown weaker over the past several months. I am growing stronger. Why are you fighting a battle that you cannot win?" Sephiroth chuckled.

Cloud slowly rose and his eyes met Sephiroth's. It was a cold determination. To kill him again. "You took almost everything from me, Sephiroth. Yet you forgot to take my rage, my anger! You forgot it... but that's alright! You can have it!" Cloud's voice had a trembling evil sound to it, much like Sephiroth's did at times.

Cloud ran forward with his blade in favor of cutting Sephiroth into pieces. Too late. He was gone. "Try a new trick, Sephiroth!" Cloud parried the blade that seemed to come out of thin air, and sliced at Sephiroth's face. Sephiroth barely dodged in time as a piece of his beautiful silver hair dropped to the floor.

Cloud thrusted his blade forth at Sephiroth again, only to have it deflected in the opposite direction. Sephiroth anticipated Cloud's weakness and thrusted his long reaching Masamune deep into Cloud's chest. "Haha, do you remember this, Cloud Strife? I died in this position!" Sephiroth grinned as Cloud struggled to breathe. Blood spurted out of his mouth. "There is no pit, this time, boy. What will you do?" Cloud grimaced but continued to glare right back into Sephiroth's eyes seriously.

Cloud thrusted his body backwards with excruciating pain and held a defensive position at once. He had no choice but to completely ignore his pain. He was losing badly, and couldn't give Sephiroth anymore edge than he already had.

Sephiroth ran towards Cloud with great vigor, thrusting his blade to Cloud's chest again. Yet this time, Cloud easily side stepped the attack. He was ready to punish Sephiroth for the clumsy mistake yet he felt a powerful force smash him into the wall. Where did it come from? Ugh...

"Come on, Cloud Strife. I'm only playing games. What are you doing?" Mocking... Sephiroth was mocking him. God... he was... really... really... really strong. He couldn't beat him one-on-one. But he had to try... why was Sephiroth alive again? He didn't... He didn't deserve to live!

"A person's life is a game to you, Sephiroth! But to normal people, a life is everything.... You're not worthy of living! You... why won't you die!?" Rage. Cloud's blade started to glow with power. All his rage, anger, tears, everything went into it. The blade and Cloud became one unique strength.

"I won't let you kill anymore innocent people!" Cloud lunged forward with godlike speed, performing the awe-inspiring Omnislash. Immediately he began slashing at Sephiroth, but....

"Omnislash..." Sephiroth appeared behind Cloud, and with the same godlike speed, he slashed Cloud over and over. Every one of them held the screaming agony of Cloud Strife. More and more, the slashes kept continuing. The Masamune wanted more blood. Slash, slash, slash. Up, down, left, right, side to side, diagnol, slash, slash, they just kept coming. Over and over the blade clashed into Cloud's body, causing excruciating pain. Finally, the tip of the Masamune glowed brightly. A ringing sound could be heard throughout the room. "This would be the finishing blow, Cloud Strife. What will you do now?"

Cloud was lying on his back, unable to move. He could barely feel any blood moving throughout his body. He felt completely numb. This... this was his time to die. "Do your worst, monster."

Monster.... no. _I'm not a monster!_ Yet, yes, he was a monster. Just a menacing beast. Nothing more. No, forget emotions! It was time to concentrate on the battle.

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of this move?." Sephiroth gazed upon the broken body of Cloud with a calm sensation. His powers were returning... he was becoming stronger than before... but... was he being controlled again? These abilities... were not here... before Jenova... or after Jenova... they were completely new. Since when could he teleport? Or do the Omnislash?

Sephiroth was ready to end Cloud's life, but the huge black man now stood in front of him. He was barring the way. "Hell naw', you fuckin' lunatic. You'll have to get through me to kill him."

"St...op... You can't-"

"You have lost. I have no interest in shedding anymore blood today." Sephiroth disappeared again, leaving the body of Cloud to his friends. It was drenched in blood and deep scars.

Cid immediately ran over to Cloud and Barret. "Damn... Sephiroth... he's alive... and stronger..."

"Damn..."

Cloud was drenched in his own blood. His platemail was torn apart and now tinted with crimson blood. His body... there was not a single part of his body that didn't hold a scar. He lost... without laying a single hit on Sephiroth... he could teleport anywhere... how was Cloud supposed to beat that!?

"I'll take him up to the fuckin' airship, you take Vincent... or what's left of him. I'd bet anything that Sephiroth killed him. While he was sleeping, no doubt... fuckin' coward. What are you waiting for, GO!" Cid and Barret both carried the bodies up the long winding stairs, and Sephiroth was no where to be found.

The scars of the Planet were soon to be felt.


	8. Diplomacy

Well, I appreciate all the reviews I've gotten from you guys. Just remember that your review doesn't have to say "I love your story". Feel free to post criticism. Although try to be a little specific. Telling me I've got a rough writing style for example doesn't tell me much. And here is the story...

* * *

"Hey, is Cloud gonna be alright? I mean... what happened down there, Cid? You gotta tell me!" Tifa looked into his eyes deeply, and Cid just couldn't ignore it. She had a right to know, but still... Things weren't looking good. In fact, they were looking really, really bad.

"I honestly don't know how to tell you this, Tifa. I really don't... but, you know, he's back. You know it. You didn't even have to ask me. There is only one person on the Planet stronger than Cloud that we know. You know it and I know it." Cid nodded, inhaling a little bit more of his cigarette. His dirty blonde hair was spiked straight up, as usual. It gave him a cool, collected look.

"So... it's true then." Tears filled her eyes. Seven years ago, Sephiroth destroyed her hometown. He set it ablaze with his awesome power. One month ago, she, Cloud, and Avalanche defeated Sephiroth. Aeris and Holy destroyed the Meteor that Sephiroth summoned, and... the Planet was saved.

The tears openly fell down her face, each one sparkling light. Why... why was she crying? Was it because Sephiroth was back? The destroyer of her life? Or was it because Cloud was hurt? She couldn't even decipher her own emotions. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

"Yea, I know it hurts... I hate seeing you cry. Damn, man. The other thing I don't know how to tell you is that Vincent..." He paused. He really just couldn't say it outloud. But Tifa understood what he was trying to say. Vincent was dead.

"Sephiroth took another life, didn't he... damn him..." She hit the table almost as hard as she could, but held back at the last second. It made no sense. Those who fought for the Planet died in cold blood. What was it all for?

"It was a gun wound. Either someone took his gun and shot him, or he killed himself. I say the latter since I doubt anyone could take his gun from him. It was a gift from Lucrecia." Cid sighed. So much bad news. He'd have to make this announcement again later, but he had to talk Tifa alone about it first. He knew her too well.

"Why would he kill himself?" Tifa glared at Cid. Unbelievable.

"Dunno. I wish I had some answers, really." Cid shrugged, and leaned back in his chair. Memories. Cloud sat at that chair everytime they had a meeting.

"You... you really don't know anything. You know absolutely nothing! There's no way he would just kill himself! Sephiroth did it. I know he did. He kills everyone who gets in his way... I bet this is another one of his fucking tricks, and you fell for it... you're just too stupid to see it!" Tifa stormed out of the room, tears still trickling down her face. Denial.

"Haha, Sephiroth. Blamed for things you didn't even do. It was coincidence that we met. Unlucky that we tried to stop you. Next time will be different, though." Cid lit another cigar. Smoking, a habit he just couldn't let go of.

Cid grabbed the speaker. "The meeting starts now." It was time to do some explaining. It would only take a minute for everyone to be in the meeting room, asking a million questions. Several minutes passed, and they arrived. Red, Barret, Yuffie, and Reeve. He didn't expect Tifa to come.

"As you know, Avalanche just gotten a little smaller. Cloud is pretty hurt, but Tifa's looking after him. The thing is," Cid scratched his head for a moment. "Sephiroth is back." Yuffie gasped. She knew Sephiroth's power better than anyone there. She alone watched the dark master destroy her hometown and turn it into a tourist attraction. Sephiroth destroyed her life, and turned Wutai... into dust.

Back then, she was just a little girl. Yuffie had changed a lot since then. She was small, yet agile. With short brown hair, a green tank-top, and some grey shorts, she definitely looked like a cute teenage girl. Yet her skill with the shruiken took away any notions of innocense.

"And... Vincent is dead." Barret looked down into the ground. He was a large, black man who knew just as much suffering as everyone else. He lost his wife, his best friend, his hometown, and an arm to Shinra. A machine gun now replaced his arm with a strike of vengeance.

"I don't believe it... where is he?" Yuffie looked around. "Tell me where he is!"

"Look, there are other things we need to discuss. It can wait."

"Sephiroth killed him, didn't he? Didn't he? It was him, wasn't it? I... he must have some kind of personal grudge against me. He just has to take everything from me, doesn't he? I fucking swe-"

"Sephiroth did not kill him." Cid looked at her calmly, trying to relieve the tension from the room. "I think Vincent wanted to leave us, but I do not rejoice in the least at his absence. It was a gun wound from his own gun. He was a loyal friend, and we all have our memories, and I of course wish he was still here..." Cid sighed. "We can't save the whole fuckin' world, just pieces of it, you know?"

"But..."

"We have to keep going. It is not our destiny; we chose to come here. No one is here against their will. So you chose to keep going. There's no turning back now."

"I can't say I believe you Cid. I just know it was Sephiroth. He was there, wasn't he? Who's to say he didn't take the gun and make it look like suicide? Why are you giving him the benefit of the doubt after all the things he's done? He took Vinny's life, I just know he did..." For a moment, you could see a tear coming out of Yuffie's eye, but she quickly wiped it away.

Barret spoke up. "Listen, Yuffie, I know you want to blame Sephiroth for this, but I was there, ok? What does he have to hide?" Barret laid his hand on the desk with a smack. "Nothing. Why is he going to make it look like suicide? To avoid lawyers? He's the strongest man in the world. He does what he wants and has no reason to hide it."

Yuffie gazed back at him with silence. After a moment, she spoke again. "Maybe he didn't kill him... but I just know he had something to do with Vincent's death."

"Listen, we can discuss Sephiroth's crimes some other time. We have bigger problems. Red, please explain."

Red calmly rose his head. "The Planet still cries." Red XIII... the thirteen was his scar. It would always remind him that he was a specimen of Professor Hojo. His real name was Nanaki, but everyone called him Red because it was short for his specimen name. He was a huge red dog-like creature, yet wasn't related to dogs in the least. He was the only known survivor of a unique species. His incredible intelligence spoke for itself with a lifespan of more than 600 years.

"It's getting louder..." Barret raised his head in curiosity. "That's really bad, isn't it? Why would it be getting louder? We stopped the threats of the Planet. Midgar is no longer functioning."

Reeve nodded. "It's because of some news that Cloud was going to share with you as soon as-" He held his tongue and tried to decide on how to word it.

"...Vincent arrived. However, Cloud is unfortunately unable to speak now, so I will tell you instead." He lowered his brown eyes, thinking about what he was about to say. He looked really different now that he was out of Shinra. He dressed more casually, jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Before, he always wore a suit. His brown hair was combed back and his beard now shaved. A completely different look.

"Actually, I will start with the reason I am here. I was thrown out of Shinra very forcefully after I disagreed with Heidegger and Scarlet. Hojo had gone insane and was about to destroy the entire city of Midgar just to fire the cannon again. As you all know, he was trying to give Sephiroth energy and make him stronger. The result, however, would have overheated the cannon and destroyed everyone below the Plate. However, the fire would not spread above the Plate..." He paused.

Barret growled in discontent."Damn, all they think about it their own safety, eh?"

"Don't interrupt, jackass," Cid replied, grinning.

"Shinra didn't care at all to stop Hojo; they only wanted to kill you. Conversely, I wanted to save Midgar. There were too many innocent lives at stake. As a result of this, I cannot spy for you anymore. Fortunately, I was able to get one last piece of information before I packed my bags.. The reason the Planet's cry is getting louder is because the Plate has been moved to the Northern Continent." Reeve paused again, thinking about what he was about to say. He was a very articulate man, always knowing exactly what he was going to say before he said it.

"Shinra is getting mako from the most abundant source on the Earth; the Northern Crater. This is energy used to save the Planet and they have decided to plunder it. You might say... they are raping the Planet."

"How could they move something so fuckin' big!? You'd need a damn flyin' fortress to move that thing." Cid could hardly believe it. The Plate was moved... the upper Plate of Midgar. The pinnacle of Midgar. Impossible. It was too massive to be moved an inch.

"They moved it with a new prototype ship named Schala. Shinra has a quite a few things under development that are hidden from the world. The Schala would be one of them. It's approximately three times the size of the Highwind."

Barret looked disgruntled, voicing his opinion. "How could you hide something that big? It would take decades to construct something like that! Even with Shinra's funds..." Red suddenly looked very tense.

"Junon. It has been under development for quite some time. You never completely explored it. It's the largest military base on the Planet, how could you? The project was a move Shinra made very quietly. No one seemed to know of it until the city was moved. Shinra's lack of an airship has been shortlived." Reeve sat down again, having revealed all the information that he had. "It seems Scarlet learned from Rufus' mistake."

Cid agreed with Reeve. "Well, as long as they aren't trying to steal one of my fucking planes, it's cool." He gave a hearty laugh, remembering that Shinra stole at least three of his masterpieces.

"Can't say I'd be sad if they stole the Highwind again," Yuffie replied, rolling her eyes.

Cid glared at her for a moment. "Watch your tongue, kid, or we might have to throw you overboard." Yuffie started to reply, but held back that time.

Red still looked very tense when he finally opened his mouth to say something. "You say that the Plate has been moved to the Northern Crater. I think I can presume that they would begin building a new city to increase their revenue, correct? If so, what is this new city going to be called?"

"Ceron," Reeve replied passively.

"And... how many reactors?"

"One, so far. Obviously, they haven't had time to build very many. They left the rest of Midgar behind. The new land has much more potential.. The one reactor they put there is much more powerful and efficient than all the earlier models combined. If they get as little as three reactors in Ceron, the entire Planet will fall apart. Literally." Reeve sighed, his throat becoming sore.

"But Shinra isn't that stupid. They may not care about the destruction of the Planet, but they aren't going to do something like destroy it." Cid grimaced at the thought. Everything they had worked for could still all go to waste in the blink of an eye.

"They will take as much energy from the Planet as they can without destroying it. What Shinra does not understand is that the Planet is already dying. They are acting as a catalyst." Red looked upon the party coldly. "I said it when meteor came, and I'll say it again... forget about the few casualties we shall cause. Forget the people. We've got to worry about the entire Planet!"

Barret spoke up. "While I agree that winning is more important than casualties... ya gotta remember this: If we can't save the people, then what's the point of fighting? We can't just do things like we used to."

"Blowing up the reactor is definitely not an option." Reeve spoke the words very bitterly and for good reason. He was once the head of Urban Development in Midgar. Unfortunately, Reeve was kicked out for caring about the people and the city. Destroying things was something he was against from the start.

"Well, then, what the fuck do you suppose we should do to Ceron? Ask nicely? Good idea, kids, Shinra will set up an appointment with you in a few months." Cid folded his arms and lit another cigarrette.

Reeve rose his head irritably. "Thank you for stating the obvious. Yes, we know diplomacy and terrorism are both ineffective from prior experiences. There is one thing we haven't tried yet, though. We've never had the man power to declare war. Until now, that is. Diplomacy has not worked with Shinra, but that does not mean it will not work with anyone else."

"Are you a fucking idiot? There is no army in the world as advanced and powerful as Shinra's," Cid snapped.

Cid's eyes met briefly with Reeve's disapproving glare. "We have more allies than you think. It lies within the common people. Shinra's weakness is in their aristocracy. With an influencing speaker, I guarantee you that you could get just about every person in the slums to take up arms against their mother country."

Cid laughed indignantly. "So you think that we're going to start a war with Shinra with the people of the slums behind us?"

"No. We're going to start a war with the common people behind us. In the past, Shinra has labeled you as terrorists. They have blamed you for their own atrocities. Don't you think it's about time that you returned the favor? If we appeal to the common people and let them know what's really going on, we could have an army much larger than Shinra's."

"Playing with politics, eh?"

"Yes, you would be correct in your assertion."

"There's a huge gap that you forgot to mention in your plan. Technology. Weapons. Armor."

"I wouldn't say I forgot to mention it. I was simply waiting for the right time."

"And?"

"Yuffie knows what I'm thinking."

Cid looked at Yuffie. She beamed with glee. Apparently she had forgotten her depression over Vincent. Cid still didn't get it. "Stop with the damn riddles. Will you just tell me?"

Yuffie rose to speak that time. "You're pretty slow, you know that?" She snapped. "Wutai!"

"Wutai..." Cid folded his arms again. Things kept getting weirder and weirder.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Cloud?" Tifa stared deep into his eyes. He had such green eyes... green because of mako. All soldiers were infused with it from the start. They would alter a humans body just to make it stronger! It was sickening. Tifa hated fighting, Shinra, and Sephiroth just as much as everyone else. But she hated the war the most.

Tifa brushed Cloud's spiky hair back, smiling at how innocent some people looked only when they were asleep. Yet when they woke up...

"Hey... ugh... what happened?" Cloud looked down at his body. There were a lot of bandages... everywhere. "Damn, Sephiroth! He's still out there. Where is he!? I'm gonna rip him apart..."

"Do you remember why you're here? It's because you tried to fight him alone. You had no idea he was even alive. Did you stop to think what that meant? Or how strong he is?"

"Of course I did!" Cloud glared back at her. "You think I'm stupid?"

"Did you think of how I'd feel if you died because you went rushing into things like an idiot? Did you think of that, Cloud?"

"Uh..." Cloud dodged her glare. "Sorry."

Tears fell from Tifa's smooth cheek. "I already lost my entire family to Sephiroth. Don't you go too. Please don't... what were you thinking when you tried to fight him by yourself? I know you're strong, but..."

"I beat him last time. In the Northern Crater... one on one. Somehow, though... he's stronger than before... I didn't anticipate it." Cloud grimaced. It was painful in more ways than one to lose to Sephiroth.

"Listen, next time, just be more careful, ok?" Tifa brushed his hair back again, smiling.

"I'll try. I know this isn't just a game. I just wish... that he'd stay dead for once."

"Yeah..."

"How long until my wounds will be healed? Do you know?"

"As long as it takes, Cloud."

"Look, time isn't on our side when Sephiroth is out there!"

"You look! Read my lips: We are not chasing after Sephiroth. We're continuing with the plan to Wutai. By the way, it would be nice if you had told me earlier instead of making me wait for a speech that you never delivered."

"Oh yeah... That was Reeve's idea. We're going there as diplomats."

"A bit late to tell me now."

"Whatever..."

"Stop with that "cool" attitude, ok? Is it so much to ask to tell me what you're thinking?"

"Sorry? I'm not fucking perfect."

"Why do you have to be so argumentative?"

"I'm not being argumentative."

"Yes, you are."

"Leave me alone." Cloud turned over to his side, ignoring her. It was a stupid thing to fight about, really. Why was he so tense? That was a dense question. He knew why.

* * *

"The Plate is gone..." Sephiroth chuckled. "I feel them, here..." Sephiroth hovered above the once great city of Midgar. It was merely ruins now. Nothing but ruins and desolation. Yet there was still something there.

"Trapped? Yes, I hear you... I feel you... yet you are sleeping... let me wake you up." Sephiroth descended, getting closer and closer to the ruins once known as Midgar.


	9. Torture

A hooded figure walked fast, his boots clinking as he walked across the marble floor. His face was covered by the darkness of his hood. He also wore a black leather trench coat with a sword sheathed within it. Black, a cold, chilling color.

He was almost to the President's office. He had important business to attend to with President Shinra. Serious business... Very serious indeed.

"Excuse me, sir, but I have to ask what you are doing here." A low-class Shinra soldier addressed the hooded figure. He wore the regular soldier suit; uniform blue shirt and pants, a blue mask, and a rifle. All low class soldiers used guns; only men of great power were given swords. Most were too unskilled, weak, and slow to use a blade effectively.

"What are you doing, sir? State your busin-" The soldier's eyes opened with fear. A black tattoo... seventeen. He was one of the clones. Except this one didn't look sick. He didn't mindlessly talk about the reunion. But... all those clones were sick!

"Pl-Please turn around, sir. This is a restricted are-" The sound of wind echoed through the hall and the soldier was dead. There was no cry; only the wind could echo the story of this poor soldier.

The hooded figure continued to walk forward down the marble floor. It was a rich place. No doubt it costed a pretty penny. He smirked. This would be theirs soon, and for what? Nothing except a few dead men. A small price to pay for fortune.

"Halt." Two first class soldier's guarded the double doors. Finally, he had reached the President's office. Looked like the security increased along the way. They wore red armor and wielded sharp katanas. Every first class soldier was infused with mako to give them the ability to wield swords and use them at a potential skill level beyond ordinary men. Reaction times sky rocketed with intensive mako showering. They were the elite soldier's of the world.

"State your business or we will be forced to attack." The figure smiled and kept on walking. Angered, one of the soldier's thrusted his blade forward into the wanderer's chest, but it was parried and recoiled into the air with a gust of wind.

"My business? To take over your company. Why do you ask?" The sword was still sheathed in the man's coat, as if it had never been used. Yet, there was no way the soldier's sword could have been parried like that if another blade hadn't been used.

Both guards stood in awe.

"So... you wish to die?" Another gust of wind rapidly flew through the air and both guards fell dead. It appeared as if the hooded figure never moved, yet there was a touch of blood at the end of his blade.

Two black shadows appeared to come out of the wall and engulf the corpses into the abyss. Out of the two shadows came two more figures dressed in black leather trench coats. They, however, were not hooded. They looked like Sephiroth... yet younger. A lot younger. Smoother faces. Their hair... quite different.

Finally, the hooded figure, the one with the tattoo number seventeen, removed his hood. They all looked strangely similar, yet each had a unique feature. For example, Seventeen's hair was short and layered, similar to a pretty young girl. The clone with the tattoo numbered eighteen, however, had long, beautiful hair like Sephiroth's. And the one with the number sixteen had the strangest of the three; spiked.

"Burn it..." The other two clones moved their hands in a synchronized way and fire lit between their palms. Seventeen smiled. The company now belonged to them. No doubt the President would quickly succumb to the Lord's needs. The door immolated into fire. It was completely engulfed. Seconds later, all that was left was ashes. Through that door led to the President's office.

A loud yawn could be heard. "What's the meaning of all this noise?" A girl... President Shinra was a girl. Strange.

"So how does the head of Shinra Weapons Development become President Shinra? No matter. You will prove useful to Lord Sephiroth anyways. You are now his lackey. You've been stripped of your power, and Ceron now belongs to Lord Sephiroth. If you do not comply, I shall have them burn you just like your door." Seventeen's speech was very plain and without feeling.

Scarlet's face was filled with fear, yet... "So you will burn me?"

"Yes." The moment the words left Seventeen's lips, Scarlet whipped out a handgun and shot towards Seventeen's head. The bullet smashed into the wall behind Seventeen, yet he never moved.

"Do not speak his name without properly addressing him, insolent fool. Say it again and we shall burn you alive. Please announce to the people of Ceron and your employees that Ceron is now under the control of Lord Sephiroth and his clones."

"I... see... that you are serious. Fine, I will-" Scarlet screamed in pain. Her entire arm was cut off. It fell to the ground with a thumping sound.

"If you try to draw a gun to us again, that shall be your head. Begin healing her arm, Sixteen. I shall make the announcement. Ceron will now know that we are in control." He left the room with an aura of fear entrancing all who got near.

"You should to learn to cooperate. Seventeen has a very short temper, you know. I'm of course very sorry for your injuries. Hopefully you will still be able to develop weapons for us. You are ours now, you understand that, right?" The clone laughed with a taunting grin. "Lord Sephiroth tells us not to kill needlessly. Torture, on the other hand, he didn't mention. Do think of that when opening your mouth, yes?"

"Ah... I-you bastards!" Tears ran down her face. For a short time, she wielded such great power only to be taken away by...him. The pain! Her arm was literally gone! The searing wound caused indescribable pain. It was the only thing she could think about.

"You really should watch what you say, Miss Scarlet. Like I said, Seventeen may very well strip you and send you down to the slums if you continue acting with such disrespect. I don't think you're liked very well down there, now are you? Especially after practically abandoning everyone there. Ha, ha!"

Scarlet looked up to him in fear but Eighteen continued to grin. "You seem bitter. I think it's karma. What do you think, Sixteen?"

"Stop provoking her. We have business to attend to." Sixteen looked really weary.

"Whatever. Anyways, Miss Scarlet, I regret to inform you that you will never have use of your arm again. However, the pain shall be eased in a few minutes and we will patch up the wound. If you wish, you could even.. ha ha.... have a gun gafted into it. I think that would be painful, though, don't you?

"Ironic, isn't it sixteen? She caused two men to lose their arms, and now she has lost her own. Very fitting if you asked me. Although I don't think she'd want a gun in her arm. Too many bad memories, eh?"

"I will not be your puppet, you bastards!" Tears were still flowing down her face. In just a few minutes, she lost everything. However, she would never lose her respect. She was the President, after all! She would have them executed immediately. Those traitors. Yes, the traitors would be executed for going up against the holy Shinra! Once again, she would use the word traitor religiously and use it to control the common man. If she could just escape...

"Fine, you shall die then. Unfortunate, really. We could have used you." He pointed his blade at her neck. Scarlet looked at the clone in shock and fear. Would he really... kill her?

Suddenly, Eighteen burst out laughing. "Do you really think I would just kill you like that?" He removed the blade from her neck, sheathing it in his coat once more. "No. Like I said earlier, we'll let the people in the slums decide what to do with you. They may murder you... perhaps they will rape you? Who knows what they will do when they find out that you were the one who abandoned them! Or perhaps you could cooperate with us? I dare say, I think I am quite the negotiator."

Sixteen stood up and walked between Eighteen and Scarlet. "Would you just stop it? Give her time to get over her losses before provoking her like that. You expect her to submit to us five minutes after we take over?"

"Fine. Calm down." Turning around, Eighteen whispered into Scarlet's ear, "But if I were you, I'd make a choice within twenty four hours."

* * *

Seeing Sephiroth move was simply amazing. He constantly appeared and reappeared, slowly making his way down to the bottom of the crater. His teleporting ability was limited in that he could only go short distances, but it was still an amazing ability. Not even the clones could perform what he could. There had to be a limit to his power somewhere. He seemed almost immortal.

As he went down further into the crater, it became darker and darker. Eventually he would reach the deepest point of the planet.... where Holy was summoned from. Sephiroth was on the move and not waiting for anyone. He was initiating his plans and no longer thinking about it. Something had definitely changed since he met his late father.

Sephiroth could have been searching blindly. The Black Materia could have been blown away by Holy, or someone could have taken it, it could've been thrown somewhere into the ocean... Yet he knew things he should not. He knew where it was. He had the knowledge of the Planet flowing through his veins. It was at the bottom of the crater, the deepest point in the entire world.

Deeper into the crater he plunged. The Black Materia was his and his alone. For reasons unknown, he was taking control of the Planet. This time, it was different though. He wasn't destroying it, he wasn't becoming a God... he already had the power. The only thing left was control and the materia he seeked.

"The bottom. It is here... I can feel you, Heidoken, the Black Materia. Come to me. She is not here anymore. We shall be together without her shadow. Come to me..." Sephiroth laughed coldly. It was his; he needed it, it needed him. Clink. Sephiroth's sword was drawn immediately, his eyes searching the abyss for anything. "I feel your energy... get out."

"Heh. You are too late, little boy." A light formed in the darkness, and a figure with crimson hair appeared. "The Black Materia is the Master's. It is not yours. He wishes to have it to yield its true power. Something you are too weak to do." He laughed at Sephiroth, the strongest man in the world.

"...." Sephiroth pointed his blade at the figure, ready to kill him.

"By the way, little boy, I am Nasami. A mystic elf of great power. Do you know what elves are? We do not exist in your little world. At least not to you. We are from the Spirit World. Do you understand how insignificant you are yet, little boy? This Planet was cultivated by the Cetra. The true Cetra did not settle down, however, like you traitors. You are insignificant trash, born from them. The Cetra, like myself, live in the Spirit World. We did not settle down. We did not take the easy path. I would say that soon you shall understand everything, but it seems you wish to die today. So be it." Nasami smirked. He wore a completely white attire, opposite of Sephiroth's. Such a slim figure... fast and powerful.

"You... are the traitor." Sephiroth slowly raised his head with a death glare. "You wish to take control of the Planet which belongs to me. Which once belonged to us. How dare you? You little fool... I will make you bleed." In an instant, the tip of the Masamune touched Nasami's neck.

"You have tricks... as do I." Nasami sweeped Sephiroth off his feet, followed by a round house kick to his face. His speed was godlike. Sephiroth flew through the air and the rocks of the crater broke his fall. As he got up, his eyes were no longer twin globes of darkness. You could see blazes of fire in his eyes. He was becoming angry again.

Sephiroth's voice grew with intensity, with rage and viciousness. "You shall bleed a thousand deaths." Sephiroth appeared behind Nasami, and with split second reaction Nasami jumped back. It was just in time, for Sephiroth's blade scarred his cheek. Nasami with his godlike speed threw a flurry of fists at Sephiroth, yet it was not fast enough. Sephiroth stabbed his sword straight into Nasami's back.

"You're fast. Fast at dying." With this, Sephiroth twisted his sword all around Nasami's insides. Blood flowed to the ground followed by screams of pain.

"Raugh!! Just--- kill me---!"

"Scream, fool! Scream like you've never screamed before! Can you feel this pain?" He shifted his sword again and a fountain of blood came out of the poor elf's body. "How about this? Hah! Tell me how it feels, Nasami!"

Nasami's mouth tried to utter out words of pain, but all that came out was gibberish. His eyes rolled blankly as his screaming ceased. Paralyzed in agony, he again tried to speak but failed entirely.

"Tell me how it feels, dammit! I wouldn't know, being on the verge of godhood. Ha, ha! Come now, speak up, little elf." Sephiroth continued twisting his blade into Nasami's body as unspeakable things fell into the black abyss. The screaming began again and a black stone dropped from Nasami's hand.

"Hahaha, I see you have my materia... too bad you just didn't give it to like a good boy, isn't it?" Sephiroth cackled as if he had no soul. Nasami could only look upon the man who held a blade into his body with fear.

And it was almost as if Sephiroth could read Nasami's thoughts. "You wish to know when this pain will end? When I will stop? Hahaha... you still have several hours to live, you insolent little bitch." He continued twisting it slowly in the art of perfect torture.

"Please--- STOP! End it you.... arugh..."

"I might end it quicker if you tell me who you're working for..." His grin darkened, knowing that he wouldn't keep his word.

* * *

"This place is so calm. So this is where the Cetra once cultivated the Earth. This was their greatest city... And it is called... the City of the Ancients? It needs a more appropriate name, don't you think, Twenty?" The clone with the number nineteen drawn into his arm stood silently as the wind blew his long pony tail into the wind. Silver strands flickered in unison with tiny balls of snow.

"Nineteen, you care too much about silly things. The beauty of the Planet is not our concern. It is not important. Wasting time looking at flowers will get you killed."

"What is really 'important' Twenty?" Twenty stopped walking turned to face him. It was strange. Both clones looked so close to identical. He frowned as he brushed his hair back away from his eyes.

"The clones before us, of course. They will enthralled with silly things like the Reunion. To become so immersed with the beauty of the Planet will lead to a similar fate. We follow Sephiroth and no other. Why? Because... we owe him. He saved us. He reawakened us to make the world a better place. We should grace him by doing what he asks."

"How is becoming mesmerized by Lord Sephiroth any worse than the flowers, Twenty? You seem too... I don't know the word... cold?"

"Because Lord Sephiroth will change things. Looking at the world changes nothing. Follow me. Lord Sephiroth told us to take the middle path. Then, we go down the spiral staircase. Eventually we will reach a room that seems abnormal. A large platform is there. Down from that platform is where the White Materia is located."

"You are obsessed."

"Please don't be angry with me. One day, you will have time to look the beauty. One day after Sephiroth creates his own world. Until then, I'm just telling you... you will die if you concentrate on frivolous things now. You must be safe before you relax. The Planet is a place of great danger right now. Follow me." The clones walked down the long stoney path, searching for what was rightfully Sephiroth's.


	10. Masamune

So cold. There was never any snow, but that didn't stop the chilling ice from forming. He was shaking. He was only a boy, though. Just a lonely boy.

"Sephiroth, open the door."

"I..." As the words came out of his mouth, the scientist slapped his frozen cheek.

"You're the only one who can open it. And make no mistake; you will open it."

The white haired boy only nodded. In contrast to the long, black ponytail of the scientist, he had short bobbed hair only reaching to his shoulders. He stepped up to the door and becoming oblivious to his surroundings.

"If you can hear me, please open this door."

....Nothing.

The scientist slapped Sephiroth so hard this time that he fell into the jagged ice. Blood trickled down his smooth face, yet he stood back up.

"Open the door with your power! No one's going to hand you anything because you ask nicely. Everytime you fail, you're one step closer to death. You hear me? You're not a failure, are you?" The scientist gave a haughty laugh as he cleaned his glasses with a piece of linen.

This time, Sephiroth, only four feet tall, punched the rocky door as hard as he could. Once again nothing had changed.

"Useless boy. We'll stand out here all day if we have to." The scientist turned around, thinking about what he was going to do. It was the most significant test to date. He had to know if Sephiroth's limits. He had to know if he had truly created a weapon of mass destruction.

_I hate this... I wish this stupid door would just open... please open...make him go away..._

The door began to shake as the letters of "classified" fell off one by one. As if it was being ripped from tangible plane itself, the door slowly disappeared into nothing. Inside, a creature with skin as blue as the ocean itself appeared smiling. The entire room... it was nothing. There was nothing except her.

Nothing except her.

She was his as he was hers.

"About fucking time. So, Ghast was right about the boy. Looks like you just needed a little encouragement, huh?" The weak looking scientist smirked at his creation. The perfect little soldier.

"Argh!" Sephiroth held his head in agonizing pain as he stood before the door. He felt it. He felt what it was like to be... born?

"Who are you!?"

Enraged, the professor pushed Sephiroth aside. "She cannot hear you. It's time to go, kid. You've done your service."

_No. I have to go there. I want to see her. Who is she?_

Sephiroth glared at the scientist with his arms at his sides. "Who is she, Hojo?"

"You insolent fool. Learn some respect!" He began to slap Sephiroth again, but this time his hand was stopped. It was bleeding.

As if Sephiroth were no longer the innocent boy he was a few moments ago, he stood glaring. "Tell me, Hojo, who is she?"

"Something a small mind like yours cannot even comprehend. If you don't stop playing these games, you're really going to regret it."

"Just... shut up." Sephiroth turned towards the door that was filled with white light. He felt drawn to it. He had to go. He had no choice.

"Who are you? I can barely hear you. A gift...?"

An extraordinarily long blade came out from the white light and into Sephiroth's hands. As the tip of his fingers began to grasp around it, he could hear her whispers more clearly.

_I want you. I need you. Kill them. Slaughter them. It's ok. In the end... it's ok. In the end, you still have yourself. You love yourself... kill them._

Sephiroth turned away from the light with his gift. It was three times as big as him! Yet he had no trouble holding it. It felt as light as a feather. It was his. Only his...

The boy began walking towards Hojo with his new toy. The voice inside his head... it was always there, right? Yeah. It was always there. What now?

_Show him some respect._

"I don't like you very much."

"Well, you really pissed me off, kid. I'd suggest not trying your magic tricks on members of soldier... and what is that?" He pointed at the long blade. How could he even hold it? It was huge!

"It's mine. I gave it to myself."

"It's now the property of Shinra, Inc. We have to study that... it must have come from the specimen. Yes... it must have. It makes sense, being that he is her child." Sephiroth was looking into the sky, ignoring everything that Hojo said.

"It's mine. Can we go home now?"

"Take that sword from him and put it in analysis." A soldier member, wearing a traditional blue uniform, walked up to the boy to take the blade.

"Give it to me, kid. You seem to have discovered a very important object here. We need to study it."

"No."

The soldier grabbed the hilt of the sword from Sephiroth, yet he stopped moving. He didn't even attempt to take the blade.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hojo barked. The soldier just stood there. Seconds turned into hours as the other soldiers became tense.

A wicked grin came upon Sephiroth's face as he forcefully took the hilt of his blade back and thrusted forth the entire blade through the soldiers body.

_This is the first blood. The first man you've ever killed. It feels good._

"It is mine... I'm cold." The boy shivered in his mere black cloak. It was less than sufficient in the freezing cold weather.

Hojo stood in awe and nodded. "I also think it is time to go home..." And he turned to the other soldiers. "And the blade will be taken later with more... cautious methods. I want to know what Jenova had to do with it."

"Isn't that the name of Mother?"

"If you ask one more question, you'll feel real torture. And trust me, if you think beatings hurt, you'd better stop asking."

_Demand an answer. He cannot hurt you anymore. Not as long as I protect you._

"Tell me. Why are you talking about Mother?"

Hojo turned to a soldier. "Shoot him."

"But sir... isn't that a bit extreme? We don't want him dead." The soldier hesitated as Hojo ripped the gun from his hands. In an instant, he fired at Sephiroth's arm. It hit... and the boy fainted to the pain. Only a child and he had bled for so much in a single day. The blood loss was far too great for his conscious to endure.

_It doesn't hurt. Your pain... it is waking you up. You and I are becoming closer. I love you. I am you. I want what you want. I am only an extension of your thoughts._

As the soldiers began to carry the boy's body down the mountain, his tiny fist was still clenched around the hilt of the blade. Clenched around the letters that spelled Masamune.


	11. Sora

"If you do not rise up and bear arms against Shinra, the Planet will fall. We come to you as a last resort. There is no one else left to stand up to Shinra. The people from Fort Condor have come to help us, but they alone are not enough. It is your duty for the Planet and your nation to rise up together and protect the Planet as it has protected you. We have been on a long and difficult journey. We have run down the train's tracks, and alas, we cannot win this alone. Formerly known as Avalanche, we destroyed Mako Reactors in an attempt to keep energy inside the Planet. However, that did nothing to save the Planet. It only hurt it more in the cycle of revenge. An entire city was destroyed as a result. We lost our best friends there.

"However... Midgar was recently shut down. It is almost a ruined wasteland now. The effects of Meteor have been catastrophic on the land. Where did they go? What was once believed to be the Promised Land. Where Weapon first appeared...

"Ceron is Midgar's successor. And this time, it's worse. The Planet is being raped as we plunge into its loving heart. The Northern Crater is not only filled with Mako... it's filled with Lifestream itself. And when we steal Lifestream, we are stealing the energy of everything we have ever loved. We are stealing your dead relatives. We are stealing the trees. We are stealing the energy from future generations. Without Lifestream, the Planet will decay and literally fall apart."

"Where is the evidence of this, Mister Strife? I have seen no evidence of decay. Everything looks the same as it's always been to me. And I've been around for a bit longer than Shinra," the elder replied, chuckling.

"If you care to research the evidence at Cosmos Canyon, you will find that everything I say is the irrefutable truth. It seems to me that you have been ignoring the cries of the Planet. Who here has not heard it? It is not something you can simply ignore! Who here can honestly say they have not heard them?" The room was completely silent. Cloud Strife stood in front of them all, introducing the ridiculous idea of war against a super power.

"If you have been listening to what I've said, you know that it is imperative that we stop Shinra. And the only way to stop Shinra is to defeat them by force. We cannot win this by sneaking around and destroying reactors; they will merely retaliate and hurt the ones we love most. Shinra will burn our hometowns. There are those among us who have already had their towns burned down in retaliation in times of peace. Hundreds of thousands have died because we tried to fight that way. And millions more will die if we continue. The way to win this war is to overthrow them by force; army against army. Avalanche alone could not fight the Shinra army one year ago, and we cannot fight them now. So, I bid you this question: Will you fight with us?" Cloud breathed heavily after the lengthy speech. Exhausting.

"Your cause is good. Your reasons are well defined. However, what makes you think we can defeat them? I refuse to see the day that Wutai falls again. Once in a lifetime is enough. We have no reason to think we could possibly defeat them. You're a fool."

"We do not have to be a tourist attraction anymore. My people, the people of Wutai, I will not let my hometown be destroyed again! It was destroyed once in the first war, and it will be destroyed again if we do not fight. Do you think the alliance with Shinra will protect you when the Planet dies? Wutai will be burned down again if we do not fight; mark my words. The second they hear that you even talked with us, our town is gone! They destroy first and seek answers later...

"You think that the Planet is safe now, now that Meteor has been stopped? The Planet still cries, can you not fucking hear it? It is getting louder and fiercer. If we do not act now, it's over. There will be nothing left to protect, and you will have only yourselves to blame. If you do not fight, I will never be able to look at you with respect again. Are you the people of the great Wutai, or some pathetic resort town?" Yuffie also panted, out of breath. She was quite a bit more demanding than Cloud, since nothing had ever been more important to her than restoring the once great Wutai to a succesful, developing country.

A loud noise filled the room as another old man cleared his throat. "You realize how serious war is? It is difficult... You think that restoring our town is worth millions of lives? Shinra obliterated us before, and now you want us to take them on again? What will be different this time? You'd be a fool to ask us to enter this blindly. An even greater fool to not care about how many people will die because you want to restore Wutai to a greater power again. For what? Your pride?"

"This isn't about the restoration of Wutai. This is about the Planet. It is dying." An elder coughed to speak up, but Cloud quickly glared at him. "If we don't fight; ok, you live for a few more years. But the future generations will all die off. The Planet will ultimately be dismantled. You're delaying an inevitable conflict."

"Either way, we lose."

"Just listen: The last time, you lost to the greatest General the world had ever known. Sephiroth destroyed you, not Shinra. Sephiroth...

"I guess I have to mention this," Cloud muttered as he glanced at Tifa for support. She gave him a quick nod. "Sephiroth is alive." Silence. "It's irrelevant, but... it's best that you're aware of this. He has his own agenda, however, and Shinra is our main concern as of now."

"'That is dire news indeed. Unfortunately, I think that our decision to decline. With the news of Sephiroth..."

"I killed Sephiroth before. That's irrelevant. I need you to defeat Shinra; not Sephiroth. Stay on topic."

"We have no way to fund a war. The people do not want to go to war, and even if they did, we do not have equipment for them. Not like Shinra. They outclass us in every way." His voice was shaky. It was not that he did not want to restore the previous honor that Wutai had, but that to win a war against Shinra now seemed impossible.

"I shall fund you. Avalanche gained billions of gil chasing after Sephiroth. We do not have time to train your soldiers; that is something you will have to do. We, however, can outfit each and every one of your soldiers with a gun or blade. Your best soldiers will be outfitted with elite equipment. Don't get me wrong, though. The decision is not to be made on equipment or the power of the enemies' army. It should be made on the fact that Shinra is still around. They still control the Planet; they still take from it... the Planet is dying. I don't mean to be rude, but my fate and yours rests on this decision. Please consider it... I understand that war is a very serious subject, but it is a last resort." Phew. Long speech. Cloud had made his major points, and looked to the Elders with innocent eyes, anxious to know what they had to say.

The Elders of Wutai, along with Godo, nodded. "We have taken heed to your request, and it will be considered tonight. You will know our decision in the morning. Get some rest and we will speak again tomorrow. It is a heavy burden to make such a decision, one to go to war. It is not easy, but it must be done. Go, now. We must discuss this alone."

Cloud and Yuffie left the huge, spiraling tower that held their meeting with the Elders. They had made very powerful arguments, but Cloud was still worried. He thought Yuffie was a little too demanding; they needed to convince them to join, not piss them off. But... her argument was still convincing, at the least. A little off topic, but good. Nothing like a little patriotism to encourage the people.

"So, you know them better than I do. What do you think?" Cloud tilted his head as Yuffie scratched her head after hearing the question; unsure.

"I don't know... I know my father, Godo, is a great military leader... but for most of my life after the war, he's been a lazy old fool. I hope he joins us, Cloud. If he does, we can win against Shinra, and Wutai will finally be prosperous again! I just know it!"

Cloud grinned. "I'm afraid it'll take even more than Wutai's support to win the war."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough. So... continue?"

"Yea... um... I know that stealing from you guys was the wrong way to go about it... and you guys know that blowing up stuff was the wrong way to beat Shinra... but, if ya think about it, we've both learned a lot from our battle against Meteor, and we now know that this is the only way to do it. We have different goals, but the same path. If we can just get my dad to side with us, I know everything will be alright." It was the climax for Yuffie. She never really attained what she was working for after Meteor. To be honest, no one did. Everyone in Avalanche still had a goal they had to complete. At first, it seemed like they had won. But sometimes, when you win, you really lose. And they lost a lot... the battle for justice was never fought without casualties.

"We won't know til tomorrow, so let's get back to the airship and rest. After that, I'm sure everyone will want to know how it went. I'll let you tell them that we know nothing, ha."

"Eh, you don't want to be the bearer of bad news? Grow up and take some responsibility, Cloud." She gave a playful smirk, knowing that she was the youngest and most immature member of the group. And nobody knew better than Cloud about responsibility; it was hard being a leader.

* * *

"Lord Sephiroth has requested that you remove all personnel from this area. It is a request if you comply; if you choose not to, then it is a demand that will be forcibly acted upon." The clone smirked. He doubted anyone would actually challenge Sephiroth's word. Then again, men were fools...

Many scientists in white lab coats hurried out, stumbling over stairs and tripping like the stereotypical nerd. They knew what was going on. Shinra had been taken over internally by Sephiroth. It was strange how a small, select group of men had taken over the entire corporation. Sephiroth, he was never known to be a normal man... The clones really took it over for him... still, it was by his command.

The reactor was filled with the disgusting smell of burning chemicals. The heat itself from the process of Mako production was intense. It was said that only certified soldier's were allowed in the reactors. All scientists there had been showered with Mako.

That was the thing about soldier. They were the elite warriors of the world. And they were different from the infantry in Shinra's army. One difference. All soldier's had a green tint in their eyes. They were all showered in intensive Mako.

It was true that only the strong could survive the process. Weak people were slaughtered by the Mako poison. It was like a viral disease that your body had to resist and maintain at the same time. Except it really wasn't a virus. It was unlike any living organism in the world.

It was energy. Energy that, when processed, became one with cells in the human body. As the disease spread, most people died. Less than forty percent of the people who applied for soldier survived the process. Those who lived but rejected the energy were branded failed subjects and either sent to the infantry or dismissed. It was rare to live and reject, though. Those who survived and accepted joined the elite fighting force of the world.

A personthat survived was resistant to the initial poisons of Mako. They became stronger and more efficient as the disease spread throughout the body. The body would eventually get used to the Mako. It would have no problem resisting the toxins it produced. But the strength... the mutations it caused in cells... a weapon like no other.

And then... there was Jenova. Sephiroth, the only man on the entire Planet that was completely immune to Mako mutations and poisoning. He was born with a true virus.

While in his mother's womb, Jenova cells were injected inside of him. The Calamity From the Skies. She was not even human. The cells... they were like viruses to a human. They always went under a lysogenic process of distribution. It was a method known to humans long before the alien creature crashed into the Planet. So... it was believed that Jenova was a member of the Cetra race. The race that cultivated the Planet in its earliest years.

There many subjects before and after Sephiroth. Each and every one of them failed. The cells were always rejected by the body and destroyed before they could reproduce in sufficient number. The immune system of even the youngest child was far too quick in destroying it.

Test subject Neo. An elderly man with an extremely weak immune system. Negative. Nothing ever worked. Nothing except the unborn child. Sephiroth. The only succesful product in the Jenova Project.

There was a still a fool standing inside the reactor. Annoying. "You there. Leave this place if you value your life."

"Hmm? Haha. What if I want to pick a fight with you? What are you doing at my home? I was busy absorbing energy here. Am I going to get in trouble with Sephiroth?" A man with green mako eyes, a red cloak, and black underneath stood at the top of the stairs. He looked down upon the clone, as if he were superior.

"Vincent. You are his father. We were told... you died. How strange. Must you die for the second time?" He drew his katana. It was blazing sharp from the tip to the hilt. With this, he pointed the short blade to Vincent.

"I am not Vincent, you fool." Twin blades, mounted at the back of his wrists, pointed towards the ground. "My name is Sora. You are correct on one thing, though. Vincent is dead." Immediately after, the Sephiroth clone practically flew up the stairs, trying to push his blade into Sora.

"Oh, dear me!" Sora jumped elegantly into the air, spirally landing at the bottom of the stairs and easily dodging the attack. "You're not able to fight me. You should apologize for wasting my time."

"I am Seventeen, and I only apologize to Lord Sephiroth. He knows you're here. We are psychically linked. You will not make it out of here alive if you continue your foolish actions, 'Sora'. Leave now or face the consequences." Once again, he pointed the katana towards Sora's heart.

"Can't take me on, so you've got to call the boss, eh?" Flash. Seventeen did not dare move as the twin blades were right on his neck. They were so sharp... he could feel the burning sensation of the blades. The burning... it was like acid.

"You really should apologize, but I suppose I can forgive you. You have no mind of your own, it seems. You only think for little Sephiroth. Well, I have a message for you to give him. I'm sure he's listening anyways, since you're all 'psychically' linked. Little Sephiroth, do not get in my way. You are a tadpole swimming in a pool of piranhas. You have no idea of what you are getting into yet. Stop playing with High Materia and live a normal life. You do not have the power to control what we do not wish you to. Get over yourself." Sora laughed. It was a bold statement.

Seventeen took his chances, elbowing Sora in the stomach in retaliation. The escape was double edged as the blades cut his neck deeply. The burning hurt more than ever, yet he pretended not to feel it as he quickly turned and thrusted his blade into Sora.

Sora parried it with his own, laughing like a maniac. "Let's take it to level two, shall we?" The air was still hot. Burning. Sora grinned, his hands bleeding. The daggers that came right out of his skin became longer. "They say a sword is only an extension of ourselves. I agree..." Sora lunged foward, slashing with his daggers in a whirlwind frenzy. Seventeen parried the first few attacks, but could not react to all of them. The katana would not move fast enough. Cut, cut, and cut again. He was bleeding openly. The wounds... he would surely die if this kept up.

Seventeen fell to the ground, coughing spurts of blood and looking upon the victor with hatred. He was disgraced, yet would not die a coward. He only looked upon Sora with a fearless, cold hatred. "Do your worst...."

"Actually, I've wasted enough time with you today. I've got to go. I'll see you some other time. I'd stay, but... you know. I've got people to kill. And fortunately, I'm letting you live today." Sora looked down at Seventeen pitifully. "Why? It's too early in the story for you to die, little guy. If you died now, where would your guilt go? Exactly. You wouldn't feel it." Sora waved playfully and disappeared in a flash.

"What... was he doing here? In a reactor? Absorbing mako energy? His skill... damn." Seventeen smashed his hand into the ground. He was so weak compared to Sora. It simply burned his pride. Was there nothing he could have done? Couldn't he have reacted faster? It was so shameful... All he could do was stare at the ground in weakness. He wanted to prove a worthy soldier.

Err. Damn. Sephiroth was coming. He could feel his presence. It was a feeling like no other. Seventeen felt shaky, nervous like. His stomach had that strange sort of pain. It wasn't really hurting, but yet it did. Never knew what Sephiroth would say. He could truly be called the manifestation of fear.

Sephiroth appeared in a cloud of dust. He always made that kind of entry now, with his new abilities. They all thought of him to be invincible, yet no one knew how he gained them. It was all a mystery. He said the Planet favored him. Yea, whatever.

Sephiroth looked up with shallow, careless eyes and spoke up. "This Sora... He is strong. Do not worry, I will take care of him. No one could have taken him on. He is at a skill level perhaps beyond my own. I must go on a different mission right now. In the meantime, make sure no one comes here unless you permit it. I am going to get the body of Aeris myself. I need you to stop this reactor from giving energy to the city, and instead begin to store it. Once that is done, add the black and white materia into the powering grid."

Sephiroth took Seventeen's hand firmly. "I trust you, Seventeen. This is an extremely serious matter. You know my reaction to failure. Do not chase Sora." Seventeen grimaced at the last remark. He could've done it... if he was just a little bit stronger. Such a failure.

Seventeen nodded and Sephiroth disappeared again. It was empty and quiet. No one was near the reactor. He had many things to do in a very short time. All alone. "I... feel joy. Or do I? Do I have feelings of my own, or am I mindless puppet of him? ...No!" He paused again for a long time, thinking. "I do this because I love him. There is no question. I feel love..."


End file.
